Sample Essays
#2—“The Pupil” by Henry James

Sample C

In Henry James’ story, “The Pupil” James introduces three main characters, Mrs. Moreen, Morgan Moreen, and Pemberton. All three of these characters interact with each other and it is through this interaction that one can see the character of each. By closely examing “The Pupil” one can see that Henry James creates contrasting characters that work together to tell a story. By first comparing Pemberton to Mrs. Moreen, Henry James is able to compare different classes of society. Mrs. Moreen, who is very rich, as evident through the description of her “fat, jeweled hand” regards money in a offhand, careless way. One gets a sense of this carelessness through Pemberton’s opening thoughts regarding money. While he is focused on his salary, the reader gets the sense that money is of no concern for Mrs. Moreen since she never broaches the subject. Mrs. Moreen represents a class of high society, while Pemperton contrasts this by representing the lower society. Throughout the story, Pemberton’s main focus is about his salary. His worry about his salary represents his, and his societies, concern and appreciation for the value of money, contrast directly with that of Mrs. Moreen’s disregard and unconcerned attitude for money. Thus through these characters and the relationship between them, one gets an idea of the social structure of the time period. Henry James also contrasts Pemberton with Morgan Moreen. Pemberton, who is more timid and modest, shows respect and manners to those around him. This respect is manifested through his hesitation “broach the subject” of money. He respects Mrs. Moreen as a person he should be as courteous and well-behaved too as possible. This contrasts directly with Morgan Moreen who uses bad manners and little respect towards his mother. An example of this disrespect is when he looks at Pemberton when “appear[ing] to address himself to his mother”. This disrespect is another manifestation of the differences in social classes of the time. Finally, the contrast betweens Pemberton’s disposition and Morgan’s disposition is a direct contrast with each other. AS the story states, “Pemberton was modest—he was even timid”. This contrasts with Morgans disposition of possibly being “unpleasant.” Also the statement “the chance that his small scholar might prove cleverer than himself. . . quite figured, to his nervousness, among the dangers of an untried experiement” The thought by Pemberton that his student might be more clever than himself represents the social thinking of the time, that the aristocracy was better than tat of the lower society. Thus one can see that Henry James’, “The Pupil” is a story regarding social customs of the time. By closely examing the contrast between Pemberton and both Mrs. Moreen and Morgan Moreen, one sees how the author is able to use these characters as representations for the aristocracy and lower classes of 1891. Therefore, “The Pupil” ceases to be a story about a teacher, and becomes a story about the social order of thi time.

Sample AAA

This selection from “The Pupil” by Henry James tells of a meeting between Mrs. Moreen, a rich woman, and a man named Pemberton who is very smart, but poor. They are meeting to discuss what will happen in the future with Mrs. Moreen’s son, Morgan Moreen, becoming Pemberton’s pupil. He is not only to teach Morgan intellectual things, for “his small scholar might prove cleverer than himself,” but “teach” to get him into better health and also teach him manners. Pemberton’s opinion of Morgan is not a very positive one. He sees him as a child that is spoiled, which is shown in several instances during this meeting. In one instance, the boy was asked to get his mother’s fan and returned “with the casual observation that he couldn’t find it.” When the boy looks at Pemberton, it is in a way that is “straight and hard at the candidate for the honor of taking his education in hand.” These and other things throughout the piece show the child’s pride. Mrs. Moreen is a factor in Morgan’s proud personality, however, because she is constantly saying things in his presence that “were extravagantly to his advantage.” Her flattery of him really feeds into his personality. The thing that upsets her about her son is that all of these things she boasts about in him are “over clouded by this, you know—all at the mercy of a weakness--!” This weakness is what Pemberton is to strengthen—his health. “The poor child was not robust,” but yet he is “sickly without being delicate.” He is not delicate because although he is not physically strong, he is clever. One other relationship and situation that takes place in this piece is that between Mrs. Moreen and Pemberton. While she continues on and on with everything but what he’ll be paid, he resolves not to leave until he finds out what he’ll be paid, which is the thing he is most concerned with. This is because he has “pecuniarily speaking, remained barren.” In the end, he finally does ask her, despite the fact that the boy is in the room, and her response is, “all that will be quite regular.” This just shows the extremity of her wealth. Pemberton wonders how much “all that” is, because for each of them it could mean a different amount. Their very different financial situations would make them each think of a different amount. The piece closes with another example of how spoiled Morgan Moreen truly is, because as Pember leaves, he shouts mockingly “Oh, lā- lā!” which shows his lack of respect for anyone.

Sample G

The story by Henry James, “The Pupil” depicts three characters and their relationships. The author uses literary elements such as tone and point of view, to make the characters known to the reader. The character of Pemberton is depicted as a educated, well-manored young man. He has “university honours.” He is going to be a private teacher to the son of Mrs. Moreen. Pemberton wants to ask Mrs. Moreen for a raise in his pay. He feels that it is the right thing to do, but he is not sure how to go on and say it. An example of this is when the narrator talks says what Pemberton is feeling, “it cost him such an effort to broach the subject of terms, to speak of money to a person . . .”. The character of Mrs. Moreen is that she is very wealthy. She wears jewelry “…drawing a pari of soiled….through a fat, jeweled hand,….” She is very demanding. When she speaks she wants to be heared, and understood.”…all at the mercy of a weakness--!” The character of the little boy, appears to be a little boy that wants to please his mother and the people around him. When he could not find his mother’s fan, he look like he was defeated.”…he dropped this cynical confession.”… The story by Henry James, “Pupil” depicts three characters, and the relationships among them. The author uses literary elements, such as tone, and point of view, to make the characters known to the reader.

Sample O

The author describes the three different characters in seperate ways, none involve a direct description. The young man, Mrs. Moreen, and the little boy all have a unique relationship with each other, each relationship being different from the next. The young man is described through his thoughts. Money is the one thing that is on his mind in this situation. He appears to be an anxious man, anxious for his money, but not necessarily greedy. HE is also an admirer of education, looking over his pupil for the first time, hoping he can learn well. The story is also told from a third person limited point of view. The young man’s thoughts are the only one’s which are revealed to the reader. Mrs. Moreen is described in a mocking tone, with phrases such as “bethought herself of this pretext,” and her figure described as “sickly without being delicate.” She is also looked upon by Pemberton as being weak in the heart. This “weakness” is more of a love for her son than a character flaw.

Sample K

In this passage from “The Pupil”, James uses tone and point of view to vary his depictions of the three characters involved and their interactions. Pemberton, the tutor of Morgan Moreen, is depicted as quiet and timid, although serious about the responsibility of educating the young boy. Pemberton is afraid to ask Mrs. Moreen about his payment as a tutor, and seems to fear her authority as he “nervously” approaches the subject of his salary. His relationship with Morgan, however, is quite different. Pemberton seems to despise the boy’s interaction with his mother and wishes to teach him “first thing” how to address his mother. James allows the reader to understand Pemberton’s feelings and thoughts through an omniscient point of view. James is hesitant in his descriptions of Pemberton (Pemberton was modest—he was even timid”), which contributes to both the reader’s view of Pemberton and his own uncertainty and lack of self-assurance. Morgan Meegan, on the other hand, defies authority at every opportunity. After being sent to get his mother’s fan, he only “casually observ[es] that he couldn’t find it.” Not seeing much importance in the failure of his assigned task, Morgan then stared “straight and hard” at Pemberton, daring his new tutor to correct him. Morgan is presented in a third person point of view, mainly because his attitudes and actions are obvious. Morgan obviously takes advantage of his mother, who thinks he is a fragile, delicate child and therefore refuses to discipline him. Pemberton notes, however, that Morgan was apparently “sickly without being delicate”, and that he “looked intelligent” but “might be unpleasant.” Overall, Morgan is depicted as a manipulative young child, defiant of his mother and challenging, unpleasant subject for his new tutor. Mrs. Moreen, Morgan’s mother and Pemberton’s employer, seems to be naïve and altogether too trusting. She makes allowances for her son due to his “sickness,” but is otherwise unconcerned with the world around her. James describes her as someone who “spoke only of feelings. . . and the aristocracy.” This tone aids in presenting her as somewhat unintelligent, which is only supported by her vague references in conversation: “this, you know” and “all that” help to present her as an affluent figure in society, unconcerned with Pemberton but dedicated to the education of her sickly son. Overall, the three characters James presents in this passage are sharply contrasted: Pemberton a poor, timid tutor, Morgan a defiant, indifferent child, and Mrs. Moreen an oblivious, naïve, wealthy mother.

Sample TTT

There are three main characters within the passage, Mrs. Moreen, Pemberton and the pupil. Mrs. Moreen is a high class women. Her son is the pupil, who she has taken to see Pemberton, the tutor. Pemberton views the pupil as timid and scared, but he also sees him as scholarly (educated), but also as a threat to his own cleverness.

Sample D

The passage from Henry James’s “The Pupil” creates and profiles three unique characters in the insignificance of a tutor inquiring about what he will be payed. Pemberton, the tutor, is the observer of Mrs. Moreen and her son Morgan Moreen, two characters who are so dissimilar that it is surprising that they are related. Though the passage is written in third person, the scenario is described from Pemberton’s point of view. Pemberton comes across as shy and hesitant, afraid to ask the aristocratic Mrs. Moreen what his salary will be for tutoring her son. While it is a reasonable question to ask, he feels it may be rude of him. Pemberton is described as “modest—he was even timid” (54), and is worried that his pupil will be more intelligent than he. While cautiously debating with himself about approaching “The delicate subject of his remuneration” (29-30), he take the role of the observer, privately noticing his first impressions of Morgan and Mrs. Moreen. Pemberton seems to be out of his comfortable environment, and because of this grows more shy and uncertain about this tutoring job. Mrs. Moreen is first described as unsuccessfully elegant. Pemberton watches her while she is “drawing a pair of soiled gants de Suede through a fat, jeweled hand. . .” (9-10). She wishes to create the illusion of luxury, and does so again by sending her son to “fetch her fan” (16) But this was not the only reason to send her son away. Mrs. Moreen also wished to “say some things about her son which it was better that a boy of eleven shouldn’t catch” (30). Mrs. Moreen is a vague and rather artificial character in this passage, who as Pemberton notes, is merely an “expensive identity” (68). Morgan Moreen is the real focus of this passage. He is observed as being “Sickly without being delicate” (48-49). Morgan is generally unattractive, and has a “weakness”, which Pemberton “gathered that the weakness was in the region of the heart” (36-37). Despite all this, Morgan is an intelligent young boy, and much unlike his mother. He makes an effort to not be pompous, and is indifferent to his mother’s attempts to make him so. He barely looks for his mother’s fan, and mocks her description of how she will pay Pemberton by saying “Oh, lā- lā!” (78). Morgan, though born into elegance, is as much out of place in the house as Pemberton. The three characters of James’s “The Pupil” do not align well with one another. Moran & Mrs. Moreen hold very different values and have very different personalities, while Pemberton is an out-of-place guest who is too shy to ask how he will be paid.

Sample I

Henry James, author of “The Pupil,” characterizes the three characters of this passage through tone, point of view, and imagery. Pemberton, a “poor young man”, is a teacher who seems to have many troubling issues. First of all, he seems to be very shy and not very outspoken. Through the third person the narrator reveals Pemberton’s insecurities and worries. Pemberton, though mainly concerned with the subject of his remuneration, could not ask his employer his wages despite his overwhelming concern for the money. Not gregarious at all, he holds his concerns deep inside until the very last minute. He then asked her only to be left in a state of confusion. Though his concern with money was a factor he was also concerned with his prospective pupil. “Pemberton wouldn’t have enjoyed his being stupid.” The author’s tone is reserved when referring to Pemberton. Mrs. Moreen on the other hand is quite the opposite of Pemberton. The author speaks of her from the third person, but allows some first person commentary from her as well. The author uses a tone of to portray Mrs. Moreen in the best light. “Drawing a pair of Soiled gants de Suede through a fat, jeweled hand,” the author begins to characterize her as rich and haughty in a sense. Stating “And all over-clouded by this, you know all at the mercy of weakness—!” This first person account from Mrs. Moreen shows her attitude towards many things. It also shows her “expensive identity.” When referring to Pemberton’s salary she assures him that “all that will be quite regular.” This shows her carefree attitude toward money. The boy is shown as subservient to his mother through his actions. He does a lot for her like retrieving her fan. The narrator through Pemberton’s thoughts points out that the boy needs help with correctly addressing his mother. A little guy, he was spoiled, if you will. Shouting, “Oh, lā- lā!” at Pemberton the reader sees in further detail his need for discipline. Mrs. Moreen is the dominant figure in the passage, who is then followed by her son, who both have some type of control over poor Pemberton. The overall tone of the passage is concerned. Pemberton’s concerns for money and his puil flow regularly between each line. Ms. Moreen is somewhat nonchalant with regards to her lack of concern for Pemberton. She doesn’t really answer him when he asks about his salary. She is self-centered. Henry uses different literary aspects to tie the characters together and create a contrast in their characterizations.