The Big Bad Wolf

 

 

Vocabulary

divide	don’t mind	division of labor
express	doorway	to employ (2)
thorn	obsessed	thorn in his side
frantic	favoritism	pop your balloon
session	corruption	controversial
escape	issue (3)	materialistic
fair (2)	distribution	powers that be
manner	refuse (2)	stepping on toes (2)
elite	take place	air their views
redress	admonish	take me seriously
knock	unsavory	conduct (3)
attire	inequality	prospective
pop in	gibberish	accounts (2)
beg	heavy-set	in terms of
yank	view (2)	competitor
gesture	cronyism	services rendered
bow (2)	unkempt	sweeping (2)
SUV	response	semi-formal
stubble

 
 
 

Division of Labour

The English classes at the Clock Tower Language Centre employed a division of labor. A local instructor would teach students grammar and vocabulary, while Peter conducted speaking and listening activities.

Politics, Economics, History

He often had discussions on politics, economics, history, sociology, philosophy and current events.

Everyone had a chance to air their views, in groups and with the whole class on controversial issues, why things were the way they were, and what they ought to be.

Why?

Peter and his students enjoyed these lessons. There was however, one small thorn in his side. Whenever they asked him questions, instead of “What is the food (or weather, government, universities, homes, family relations) like in England?” the only thing they would ask was:

“Why did you come to our country? Why did you come to Paraguay”

And so Peter told them.

The Escape

“You see, where I come from, rich people … big business … bankers … financiers … own and control everything. They have all the money. They have all the power. They practice favouritism and cronyism. In addition, everyone in Britain is obsessed with money. Money, fancy cars, restaurants, clothes, houses, yachts.

So that’s why I left my country. I simply had to escape all that.”

“Sorry to pop your balloon,” the students would tell Peter before informing him that it was really no different in their country. The situation is actually worse. And though people here may seem less materialistic, that’s only because they have less money to spend.

LOUD AND CLEAR

At the end of one class session, Peter told the students that they must all unite and make their voices hear — LOUD and CLEAR!

“Only in this manner will the powers that be hear us and take us seriously — and actually DO something to redress the unfairness and inequality in society. There must be a fairer distribution of wealth.”

Peter was unafraid of stepping on any toes. He knew they were all on his side. Many young people were studying English but in Britain or the US.

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Noon

When he first started teaching at the Language Centre, all the classes Peter had took place in the late afternoons and evenings.

One day the school director called at him at his apartment, and offered a class that began at the first of the month, at noon. He accepted.

On the first day of lessons, Peter decided to come early, at 10:00 am, to make preparations.

Locked

When he arrived however, he found the front door locked, even though the business-hours sign on the door stated “9:00 to 18:00” (classes though lasted till 21:30).

He knocked several times. No response.

A minute later, the office manager, Scarlett, appeared. She unlocked the door and let him in. She apologized, saying that she had been busy with the accounts.

Salary

“Speaking of finances, could I have my salary for last month?” Peter asked Scarlett.
“Oh, before I forget to tell you . . . I hope you don’t mind waiting for several days for your salary from last month,” Scarlett told him.
“Sure, no problem,” Peter replied.

He then admonished her that locking the door during normal business hours would keep out prospective students. It would cause them to go elsewhere — to competitors — and never come back.

Scarlett then explained that when the school first opened many years ago, that was exactly what they did.

Unsavory Characters

“But then all sorts of ‘unsavory characters’ would pop in. They would talk gibberish. They would beg. They would demand money. And they wouldn’t leave when I told them to! Sometimes I had to call the police.

And I’m here ALONE — all by myself — for much of the day until the director and teachers, all of whom are female except you, begin arriving by mid-day, when I unlock the door.”

Just at that moment, a rather tall, heavy-set man with unkempt hair a week’s of stubble and wearing old clothes was making his way towards the language center.

“Quick, get in!” said Scarlett as she yanked Peter in from the doorway and relocked the door. “He’s one of them!” Peter and Scarlett ran into the office.

The man came and rang the doorbell. He repeated this about ten times. Then he banged on the door.
“Go away before I call the police!” shouted Scarlett from her desk.
 

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Saturday Lessons

Later it was Peter’s turn. He was assigned another class, a test-preparation course on Saturday afternoons. He and his students would be alone at the school.

And on several occasions, “unsavory characters” would knock on the door. Peter would ignore them.

.     .     .     .     .     .     .     .

During one lesson, as he went over a filling-in-the-blank exercise with his class, they heard a knock on the front door. Through the window, Peter could see a middle-aged man in semi-formal attire. Parked not far behind him was a shiny, new SUV. Peter unlocked the door and opened it.

Incomprehensible

The man began speaking rapidly to Peter. Peter could not make out what the man was saying — he was still in the beginner phase of the local language. But he did catch one word: “TAX”!

“OH NO! It’s the weekend. We’re CLOSED. Bye!” Peter replied as he frantically closed and relocked the door.

But then a student standing behind him explained that the man was her father. And in their language, “tax” meant fees or payment for goods and services rendered.

Peter quickly re-unlocked and reopened the door.

“Oh, I’m terribly sorry. Please, do come right in. Welcome!” he said while bowing and making a sweeping, inward gesture with his arm. “Would you like some tea with lemon and sugar? Or perhaps coffee with cream?”

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1. What’s Peter’s job? Where was he working? Where was he from?

2. He and the local teachers at his school taught the same things in class? True or false?

3. Were his favorite classroom activities were test-preparation exercises?

4. The school manager kept the front door locked during morning business hours. Is this good business practice? Why did she do this?

5. Later Peter worked alone on Saturdays. Is this correct or wrong? Why was he alone in the school with his students?

6. What happened in the end? What is meant by the story title ”The Big Bad Wolf”?

7. Did Peter change in the story? If yes, how did he change? What were his political or philosophical views?
 
 
A. Do you agree with Peter (in the beginning of the story)?

B. How do people feel about rich people, big business and financiers?

C. What do people think about tax collectors and the tax bureau?

D. What is the social status for poor, homeless or unemployed people?

E. What is the “solution” to inequality and the wealth gap?