Third thoughts

-          E. V. Lucas, England (1868-1938)

I. Literal Comprehension

Context: This essay is written by E. V. Lucas, England (1868-1938), a celebrated twentieth century essayist. In this essay, he has written about one of his friend’s experience of bargaining for profit.

One of the writer’s friends was an unsuccessful businessman who bought things at high price and sold at low price. Once, he experienced unexpected success. He found a portfolio of water-colour drawings in a curiosity shop. One of them was possibly by Turner. The dealer was not sure of it, so he sold him the drawing for ten shillings. Luckily, the writer’s friend found a customer who bought the drawing at fifty pounds. By this dealing, he earned a profit of forty-nine pounds and ten shillings. He became very happy. He remembered the dealer’s fair behavior and wanted to send him half the profit. He wrote a small note of thanks to him and put half the profit into the envelope, but he had no stamps and it was very late night. He couldn’t send it then. He woke up early the next morning, and realized that he was too idealistic, and wanted to give the dealer only ten pounds. He again thought the dealer would expect the same letter every day and be sad. So, the writer’s friend decided to send him only five pounds. While he was dressing, he thought about the dealer again. He realized that for the first time in his life he had earned such a huge profit. Why should he be so much impulsive and send the dealer a chunk of it. Rich people are not impulsive. Impulse is the negation of magnetism. At last, he was ready to send the dealer one pound only. He went to the club for lunch with an envelope that contained a note and the one pound cheque. That afternoon, he played bridge and lost even that cheque. Then, he came to the conclusion that buying and selling are a perfectly straightforward matter between a dealer and a customer. A dealer asks as much as he thinks he can extort, and the customer has no obligation with the dealer after paying for it. The business ends here.

II. Interpretation

This story might be trying to tell us that one should be practical, and avoid impulses to be a rich and successful dealer. The story also shows us the general human nature, i. e. one becomes generous when one is overpowered by impulses. When time passes, the generosity turns into unwillingness. The narrator’s friend also felt generous at first and wanted to share his profit with the dealer with whom he had bought the drawing by Turner. At last, he was unwilling to do so. This text can also be taken as a criticism of high profit-oriented dealings that often happen in businesses.

III. Critical Thinking

The writer has forced his readers to think critically upon the practices of profit making. He hopes to create a more just and happier society by urging his readers to share the profits with each other, but will it be ever possible? Who will be involved in that kind of business?

IV. Assimilation

I have got to know the truth that generosity and practical-mindedness are two different conditions of human mind.