The pre 1914 novel I have chosen to write about is The Prince and the Pauper by Mark Twain

They both had different experiences; Tom was astounded by the busy life and the grandeur at the palace. While Edward had no shoes, and had to walk on the bare ground, people thought he was going crazy, because this poor beggar boy claimed to be prince.

'Go to your teacher and tell him to come here. Tell him that Prince Edward orders him to come.'

They laughed and called him mad boy; they picked him up and threw him in dirty water. The Prince started to miss his old life, he ordered Tom's father to take him to the palace.

'I'm the prince. Your son is in Westminster Palace. Take me there and bring him home.'

When at last Tom went to bed, he wished he could go and be with his friends.

'The clothes are beautiful and it's a beautiful house, and the food is nice, but I don't like being prince. I wish I could go back to Pudding Lane and play with the other boys and swim in the river.'

The story teaches many lessons and morals, Edward was judged by his outer appearance and nobody listened to him. The importance of image, and how you present yourself. When the prince stood inside the palace, in Tom's clothes he ordered the guards to open the gate. As soon as he walked past the guards, they hit him on the head. The brutal nature of poverty and equality, turned people against there family and friends because of what they wore or how much money they had. This behaviour is still shown in today's society; however there are some people who are still have some human capacity. Father Andrew was one of those people who could rise above poverty and hardship. In chapter six, Tom Chanty's father was dragging him threw the street and the crowd of people cheered his father on, in this brutal act. All except for father Andrew,

'Let him go, let the boy go free!'

Another act of kindness was when Miles Hendon helped the prince in chapter 7. An angry mob of people threw stones and knocked the prince out. Hendon stood over him and fought.

'I don't know whether you are the prince, or not; I don't care whether you are mad or not; but you're a brave boy and I'll help you'

Hendon was able to go away to war, and come back and be objective and help the prince.

Another issues, is the careless beatings and killings. For example, in New Orleans the city is in ruins because of the hurricane, people are all in the same situation and they are becoming brutal and violent against their own people. In the story the way people deal with things is, by beating or to threaten people.

'Your father beats you!'

'I shall send m y soldiers to beat him at once'

Even the king used methods like this, to get through to his own son.

'You are the prince, and if you say that you are not the prince, I shall b e very angry. And

Do you know what I do to people when I am angry?'

The dangers of rulers not knowing what is happening not being connected to the people.

'The king my father, is the king of all people rich and poor.'

However when Tom told the Prince he lived in a one bedroom old house, he did not understand why.

'There are hundreds of rooms in this palace. Why do you all live in one room?'

At last, the prince was confronted by Tom and the great lords asked each of them questions to determine which the real prince was. The final question was,

'Where is the seal?'

The real prince told the lords, while tom said he had used it to crack nuts. The lords laughed. No one was brutal against the boy, and the people came to realise the importance of respect and not to class or judge people by what they wear or how they look.

I have come to realise that 'The Prince And The Pauper' has so much depth and meaning. It relates so much to human society today, people can change so easily due to the type of circumstance they are in.

Pre 1914 coursework

Lauren LeFranc