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I know that Bill’s helpfulness to the Young Fellow from the City was not entirely a matter of brotherly love. I was paying him for his time; in the end I paid him for six hours (including the lunch hour) at what was then a very high price. But he was no more dishonest than I. I charged the whole thing to the firm. But it would have been worth paying him myself to have his presence. His cheerful country wisdom was very refreshing to a country boy like myself who was sick of the city. As we sat on the hilltop, looking over the pastures and creek which slipped among the trees, he talked of New Mullion, and painted a picture in words of all the people in it. He noticed everything, but no matter how much he might laugh at people, he also understood and forgave their foolishness. He described the minister’s wife who sang the loudest in church when she was most in debt. He commented on the boys who came back from college in fancy clothes. He told about the lawyer whose wife could never succeed in getting him to put on both a collar and a tie on the same day. He made them all live. On that day I came to know New Mullion better than I did the city, and to love it better.
Bill didn’t know about colleges and cities, but he had travelled around a lot of the country, and had had a lot of jobs. From his adventures he had brought back a philosophy of simplicity and laugher. He strengthened me.
Explanation:
The narrator then says that he knew the hack driver was not helping him because of his helping nature but because he was gaining money from him. After that, he claims he was paying the hack driver for his time with him.
In the end, the narrator paid him for six hours, including the lunch hour, at a high price. After telling that, he says the hack driver was not a dishonest person like him. Then he narrates the reason behind his statement. The narrator billed the company for everything he spent on the hack driver. However, he said that having the hack driver's presence would have been worth paying for. Since his firm would cover all of his expenditures, he felt safe with all this. Being in the company of someone as cheerful as the hack driver made him feel delighted. The narrator then says that the hack driver's upbeat country knowledge was quite pleasant for a village boy who was tired of city life. It means that he compares his city life with the village life of the hack driver. The narrator used to search for his victims in every nook and corner of the dirty city corner. Meanwhile, the hack driver explores every corner of the village pleasantly. Here, one can note the differentiation between city life and village life.
While the narrator and the hack driver were sitting on the hilltop, they saw the beautiful grasslands and a stream which slipped among the trees. The hack driver talked to him about the New Mullion and the people living in the village. For the narrator they were very beautiful as he was also a villager and did not like the city life much. While the hack driver was narrating things, he painted it in the form of a picture and imagined the things happening in the village. Bill talked about New Mullion. He explained about everyone so that he felt like everything had happened in front of his eyes. The hack driver was aware of everything, yet despite his tendency to mock others, he recognised and accepted their ignorance.
Hilltop
Then the narrator told him about the minister's wife, who would sing loudly in the church whenever she was in debt. In other words, she prayed to God about her issues. After that, he says that some college boys dress in such a fancy way, and the lawyer's wife always fails to make her husband wear both the collar and the tie on the same day. The narrator states that Bill had such a deep understanding of the residents of his village that it caused him to adore New Mullion. He claims that although he now understood practically everything about his home, he was ignorant of the city where he resided.
While Bill was unfamiliar with towns and institutions, he was well-travelled around the country and had had several occupations. He returned with a philosophy of simplicity and laughter from his travels. His words and knowledge of everything gave him a sign of courage.
Then the narrator told him about the minister's wife, who would sing loudly in the church whenever she was in debt. In other words, she prayed to God about her issues. After that, he says that some college boys dress in such a fancy way, and the lawyer's wife always fails to make her husband wear both the collar and the tie on the same day. The narrator states that Bill had such a deep understanding of the residents of his village that it caused him to adore New Mullion. He claims that although he now understood practically everything about his home, he was ignorant of the city where he resided.
While Bill was unfamiliar with towns and institutions, he was well-travelled around the country and had had several occupations. He returned with a philosophy of simplicity and laughter from his travels. His words and knowledge of everything gave him a sign of courage.
Meanings of the difficult words:
| S.No | Words | Meanings |
1 | Comment | Something that you say or write that expresses your opinion |
2 | Hilltop | The top part of a hill, rather than its sloping sides |
3 | Pasture | Land covered with grass or similar plants suitable for animals, such as cows and sheep, to eat |
4 | Debt | Something, especially money that is owed to someone else, or the state of owing something |
5 | Adventure | An unusual, exciting, and possibly dangerous activity, such as a trip or experience, or the excitement produced by such an activity |
6 | College | A university where you can study for an undergraduate |
7 | Creek | A stream or narrow river |
Reference:
National Council of Educational Research and Training (2007). The Hack Driver- Sinclair Lewis (pp. 47-53). Published at the Publication Division by the Secretary, National Council of Educational Research and Training, Sri Aurobindo Marg, New Delhi.
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