Department of English

Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University

“The Boss,” Beggar My Neighbor

(1964)

Dan Jacobson

(March 7, 1929–)

Notes

Study Questions for Dan Jacobson's “The Boss”

Some things to think about as you read and reread.

Opposites: What contrasts does Jacobson present in “The Boss”?  Is the opposition real or imaginary?  Are the paradoxical constructions ever resolved?

The Boss: Who is the boss?  How is “boss” defined in the story? by title? by the character’s own actions? by other characters’ actions toward him/her?  Explore “boss” as a concept, as qualities, or as a person.

Change: “New hands and a new young man make a new order,” announces Mr. Kramer who, from the beginning of the story, seems to be heralding as well as insisting and crafting change in the story (18).  Is he successful?  What is he able to change, what not?

• How has Lionel changed, or does he?

• What about Lily Posen?

• What about Mr. Kramer?

Battles: What fights must different characters engage in?

Race/Ethnicity: What role does race or ethnicity play in this story?  What is the significance of being Jewish in the story?  Why do you think “white employees” are specified (21)?  Why is it significant that Lionel makes an issue out of Lily Posen being “the only Jewish employee”?

Generations: How differently do the different generations think or behave?  Consider their decisions, approaches to tackling problems, living life, and doing work.  Can we call such differences generational?

Education: What kind of learning takes place in the story?  Lionel’s choice not to go to university seems to suggest his disregard for academic knowledge (20).  Does he value other kinds of knowledge instead?  How do characters teach and how do they learn?

Review Sheet

Characters

Mr. Kramer – came to South Africa as an immigrant boy (19); "manager of a large butter factory" (19)

Lionel Kramer – Mr. Kramer's son; eighteen years old (19); "tall, tanned, with a lean face and large brown eyes" (20); a loser?

Lily Posen – Jewish (21); over forty years old, "plain and dull, and would never get married" (19); has worked at Mr. Kramer's butter factory for fifteen years (27); "she could do any work she was asked to" ()

Setting

South Africa – (19)

Butter factory – 

The office block – (21)

Lily Posen's office – 

Mr. Kramer's office – 

Plot

Lionel is trying to be "the boss" and he learns how to be a good boss?

Discussion

Sample Student Reading Responses to Dan Jacobson's “The Boss”

Under construction.

Response 1:

Key Terms to Date

characterization vocabulary

major characters

minor characters

stock or type characters

stereotypes

double

confidant(e)

villain

hero

anti-hero

foil

self-revelation

personality

direct presentation of character

indirect presentation of character

show v. tell

consistency in character behavior

motivation

plausibility of character: is the character credible? convincing?

flat character

round character, multidimensional character

static character, unchanged

developing character, dynamic character, active character

direct methods of revealing character:

• characterization through the use of names

• characterization through physical appearance

• characterization through editorial comments by the author, interrupts narrative to provide information

• characterization through dialog: what is said, who says it, under what circumstances, who is listening, how the conversation flows, how the speaker speaks (ex. tone, stress, dialect, diction/word choice)

• characterization through action

indirect characterization

plot vocabulary

plot, main plot, minor plot

story

conflict, internal conflict, external conflict, clash of actions, clash of ideas, clash of desires, clash of wills, major, minor, emotional, physical

• man v. self

• man v. man

• man v. society

• man v. nature

• man v. the supernatural

• man v. machine/technology

protagonist
antagonist (antagonistic)
suspense (suspenseful)
mystery (mysterious, mysteriously, mysteriousness)
dilemma
surprise (surprising, surprised)

plot twist

ending

• happy ending

• unhappy ending

• indeterminate ending (ambiguous)

• surprise ending (unexpected)

artistic unity (unified)
time sequence
exposition

in medias res
complication (complicate)
rising action
falling action
crisis
climax
anti-climax (anti-climactic)
conclusion (conclude, conclusive)
resolution (resolve, resolving)
denouement
flashback, retrospect
back-story

foreshadowing

causality
plot structure
initiating incident
epiphany
reversal
catastrophe
beginning, middle, end
scene
chance, coincidence
double plot
subplot, underplot
deus ex machina
disclosure, discovery

movement, shape of movement

trajectory

change

focus

Reference

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Last updated November 24, 2008