Speaking of Children - Summary | The Magic of Words

English | Summary
Unit Two : Men Women and Children
Speaking of Children
Barbara Holland
The Magic of Words

The essay “Speaking of Children” is an extract from Barbara Holland’s renowned volume Mother’s Day or the View from In Here. In this essay, Holland examines the idea of having more than one child and its effect to the parents. She believes that one child is an appendage but more than one is a way of life. One child is outnumbered and parents can brainwash it, carry it to parties, toss it on the bed with the coats and make it whatever they want. It is usually easy to look after one child. It is a part of their lives.

My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold - Summary | The Magic of Words

English | Summary
Unit Two : Men, Women and Children
My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold
William Wordsworth
The Magic of Words

"My Heart Leaps Up When I Behold" is a poem written by a famous nature poet William Wordsworth. In this poem, the poet recollects/remembers an experience of his childhood days and gives his emotion and feelings a meaning. The poet also expresses his love towards nature. He feels great joy when he sees a rainbow in the sky. He used to enjoy a lot when he saw the rainbow in the sky in his childhood. He hopes he will still get pleasure at seeing the rainbow when he becomes old and if such feeling stops in the future he wishes to die.

The Loving Mother - Summary | The Magic of Words

English | Summary
Unit One : Stories of The Supernatural
The Loving Mother
A Story From the Island of Hokkaido, Japan
The Magic of Words

Mr Shoji Sakota was a pharmacist in the city of Sappora on Hokkaido Island in northern Japan. He used to have his own drug store in the same building, where he used to live. He used to live alone in the rear part of the building because his wife had died several years earlier.

Fear - Summary | The Magic of Words

English | Summary
Unit One : Stories of The Supernatural
Fear
The Story from Puebla, Mexico
The Magic of Words

Though the story Fear is from the unit of the supernatural stories, it is not a supernatural story. In fact, it is a psychological story. It’s a thriller / suspenseful story based on human fear of a nervous man. This story also shows how a man behaves in a state of panic and nervousness.

The House Call - Summary | The Magic of Words

English | Summary
Unit One : Stories of The Supernatural
The House Call
A Story from Germany
The Magic of Words

The story took place on 26th December, 1903 in Berlin, Germany. The famous German surgeon, Dr. Emil Braun, was sitting alone in the dining room of his apartment trying to write notes about the surgery while having his dinner. Soon he dozed off but woke up when he heard the doorbell ring. He heard a child talking about her sick mother to Mrs. Braun. He went to the door and saw in the semidarkness a little girl of perhaps six or seven who was wearing a cotton dress and shabby shoes. Over her head, she had a ragged shawl which she was holding together at the neck. The doctor felt sympathy for the child and her sick mother and became ready to go with her.

The Lost Doll - Summary | The Magic of Words

English | Summary
Unit One : Stories of The Supernatural
The Lost Doll
A Story from Colombia, South America
The Magic of Words

Carmen was the only child of Roberto and Rosa Soto. She was beautiful, bright and loving child. However she was sick from the day of her birth. When she was four, she fell sick seriously and died. A few days after the funeral ceremony, Rosa gave away Carmen’s playthings and clothes to a priest of another village so that she couldn’t see them time and again. She thought that she wouldn’t have another child as she was told at the time of Carmen’s birth. When Roberto knew about it, he became very unhappy because he was hopeful that they would have another child. He asked about her the little dolly which Carmen always carried with her. Rosa said that she didn’t give it away. Then they searched everywhere in the house as well asked the villagers too but they couldn’t find it.

The Recurring Dream - Summary | The Magic of Words

English | Summary
Unit One : Stories of the Supernatural
The Recurring Dream
A Story from England
The Magic of Words

The story starts with a description of Kimberly Clark, the protagonist of the story, who is twenty five yeas old with all qualities of a normal young woman. She is pretty, she loves to dance, and she has many friends and a good position in the office of a large company. Despite these all, she has a problem. She has been troubled by a strange and mysterious dream that haunts her every night.