2. Write brief note on the following:
Write (draw) the character-sketches of the novel ″ Good-bye, Mr. Chips ″.
Discuss at length the role of character-sketches in ″ Good-bye, Mr. Chips ″.
1. Mr. Chips (Mr. Chippings)
Mr. Chippings lovingly called Mr. Chips, born in 1848 of poor
parent. He graduated from Cambridge university at the age of 21 & started
teaching at Melbury school. There the boys troubled him a lot. After a year
or so, he begins his tenure at Brookfield in 1870 at the age of 22 where he
taught for more than 45 years. He was a handsome, impressive youth,
fashionably dressed according to the Victorian times. He was able to
establish himself as a teacher without much difficulty.
Mr. Chips had good manners. He treated the people well. He was kind to the
students and friendly with the staff. He never hurt the feelings of any person.
Katherine was impressed by his nobility and decided to marry him. He failed in the
Melbury School due to his gentle nature. He learnt a lesson and improved his
discipline in the Brookfield School.
Mr. Chips was a dry fellow before his marriage, but afterwards he became a
humorous fellow. He gained much confidence in him. His outlook was broadened. He
learnt to see beyond Brookfield. He began to take interest in his life. His discipline
improved. He felt strong and became more popular. He knew how to make pleasant
jokes. He taught Greek and Latin, the dull subjects to the students. But he made his
lesson interesting by telling jokes during the lesson. He also pleased the students by
relating the incidents of their forefathers.
Mr. Chips was old-fashioned and conservative. He did not do any thing
against his will. When Ralston asked him to resign, he refused. He said clearly that
his ways of teaching were right and those of Ralston were wrong. The President of
the Board of Governors also took the side of Mr. Chips. The result was that Ralston
had to seek job in some other school.
Mr. Chips was a kindhearted man. He had a great love for his
students. He tried to remember the name of each student. He invited the new
students to tea. He entertained them well. He kept watch that their plates
were not empty. He let the boys go, when the clock struck five. He did not
like to waste their time. Mr. Chips bewailed the death of all the old students
who were killed in the fight. He also mourned the death of a German teacher
for he had worked as a teacher in the Brookfield School.
2. Katherine Bridges (Mr. Chip’s wife)
Katherine Bridges was 25 when she met Mr. Chips who was 48. She was
very beautiful.She was a modern girl.She was very fond of hiking & tours.At
first she regarded Mr. Chips as a quiet middle-aged & serious looking man.
She was a governess out of a job. She was also a trained nurse. Se rode
bicycle, not very much liked by the men of Victorian times. She was a modern girl &
she had advanced and radical ideas, which she learnt from Ibsen, Bernard Shaw and
William Morris. She was a radical socialist. She always advocated the cause of
women. She was in favor of higher education for them. Her views were thus even
dramatically opposed to those of Mr. Chips who was old fashioned and conservative.
She liked Chips and his profession. However she liked Chips for this quiet nature.
She exercised a healthy influence upon him. She was more intelligent &
brainy than him. She gave him advanced ideas on education which he demonstrated
in his educational practice. She infused a new life in him. She was very devoted and
faithful wife. She inspired love and confidence in Mr. Chips. She broadened his
outlook. He began to see things with a new vision.
It was she who lovingly parted from him, on the eve of her wedding
with the words that became so popular later ‘Good-bye, Mr. Chips.” This she
said, with mock gravity.
3. Mrs. Wickett
Mrs. Wickett was the land-lady of Chips. He lived at Mrs. Wickett’s
Just across the road near school. She kept Brookfield time like Mr. Chips, for
she had served at Brookfield as linen-in charge.
She was very considerate of Chips. She always kept tea-things ready for the
ritualistic tea of Chips to entertain the Callers. Even if she ever went in the
neighborhood to visit her relatives she would place the tea things ready on a table
near Chips. Mr. Chips was never cross with her. They were living together peacefully
& happily.
It is because of her considerateness & care that Chips bequeathed a large
amount of his money to her. He used to exchange his ideas with her and
recounted his comments on very caller to her. She was, no doubt sincere,
cordial and benevolent to him.
4. Mr. Wetherby (the headmaster of Brookfield)
Wetherby was an old Headmaster of Brookfield School. He had great
experience. He was a good disciplinarian. Mr. Chips met him in his study
and sought job in the school. Wetherby engaged him as classical teacher.
He came to know that Mrs. Chips had faded in the Melbury School. He realized
that he lacked discipline. He advised Mr. Chips to be stiff to the boys from the outset.
Mr. Chips acted upon his advice. On the first day he punished a boy. This had good
effect and there was no more trouble of discipline.
Mr. Wetherby was a practical administrator. He was an efficient
Headmaster and judged a man from his appearances. He knew how to get
work from a lenient person like Mr. Chips. He foresaw that Mr. Chips was a
sincere and hardworking teacher. He would likely succeed if he put heart and
soul in his work. His judgment was correct and Mr. Chips proved himself a
successful and popular teacher.
5. Mr. Meldrum (the headmaster of Brookfield)
Meidrum was the successor of Wetherby. He worked as the Head of
Brookfield for 30 years. No remarkable incident or characteristic of his
character has been described in the novel. He died suddenly of pneumonia in
1900. Chips was appointed as “Acting Head” of Brooktield after him.
6. Mr. Ralston (the headmaster of Brookfield)
In 1900 after the death of Mr. Meldrum, a new headmaster Mr.
Ralston came to Brookfield. He was a young man of 37 and he was regarded
as genius scholar. He had been a very successful student and he had got
several distinctions in his studies. Ralston had very impressive and graceful
personality. The students became silent as soon as they saw him. The
teachers and other staff at Brookfield were also afraid of him. He was active
and quick in his work and impressed others greatly.
Mr. Ralston had modern ideas on life and education. Ralston was a practical
man. He wanted that students should be taught practical ways of becoming
successful in the world. He was in favor of new methods of teaching schoolchildren.
He wanted to teach them the ways of becoming rich. Ralston did not like old
traditions. He wanted the old methods of teaching to be changed completely. He
wanted to educate the students in modern ways therefore he did not like Chips’s old
method of teaching Latin and Greek Languages.
Mr. Ralston was a very strict administrator. He tried to keep good discipline in
the school. He was also strict to the, teachers. Because of his good discipline, he
raised the status of school and the reputation of the school became good. The school
began having better results. The number of students taking admission to the school
increased much. He had also convinced a number of rich London merchants to send
their boys to Brookfield school.
Ralston was a very active & efficient person He worked hard for the
school. However, he was very strict in matters of dress also. He wanted that
the entire staff member should be well dressed therefore he objected Chips
who used to wear tattered gown. He rightly wanted to see his teachers in
good clothes. Overall, Ralston was a successful headmaster. The student of
Brookfield respected him and felt his fear. However, they did not love him as
he was very strict.
7. Mr. Chatteris (the headmaster of Brookfield)
In 1911, Ralston left Brookfield to better himself. Chatteris became the
new headmaster of the Brookfield school. Chatteris was junior to Ralston in
age. He was 34. He was supposed to be very brilliant, at any rate, he was
modern, friendly, and sympathetic. He recognized in Chips a Brookfield
institution. So he courteous & wisely accepted the situation. Chips liked him.
He was over-worked, over-worried, and looked very ill. He was 39 then, and
unmarried. He suffered from diabetes. He was influenced by the popularity of Chips.
Therefore, When World War I breaks out. In July 1916, Chatteris came to Chips &
asked him to rejoin the school. Chips, who had retired the year before at age 65,
agree to come out of retirement to fill in for the various masters who have entered
military service.
Overall, he was a loveable, frank & sympathetic man. He had no
haughtiness or want. He was not envious. He accepted the reputation &
importance of Mr. Chips though he was junior to him as for as qualification
was concerned. In April 1917, Chatteris fell ill & died.