Literature Journal

Literature
The short story The Pupil written by Henry James was an interesting story of a tutor and his student. This story is known for the controversy it caused in education. Prior to this story education was lead in only way. Teachers were expected to teach all students with the same methods. The old system of education was unproductive and ignorant. All students are different, making it impossible to effectively teach all students one way. Education should be a personal experience. It is important to understand a person’s strengths and weakness and evolve their learning strategies to fit them. Without a personal system of education I don’t understand how students are expected to succeed. This displays a teacher that takes a personal approach on education. The tutor named Pemberton was a smart man that had lost his money all at once. When he became desperate for cash he resorted to tutoring. He went to the Moreen family. James explains the Moreen family in a very odd way. He explains that the family can’t do anything right. Pemberton seems to study the family as he educates them. Pemberton thought the most unique thing about them was that “…He had never seen a family so brilliantly equipped for failure.” (James, 576). The family is a train wreck. The family that can’t seem to get anything right is sad to read about, but at the same time it is interesting and alluring. The scrambled family consists of a talkative mother, secretive dad, and four children. The youngest of them, Morgan is the main focus of the story. Morgan is a very amusing character to read about. Morgan is a brilliant but doesn’t seem to fit in quite right. Morgan doesn’t fit the ideal methods of education. He is a smart boy but can’t seem to fit in exactly right. He forms a strong connection with Mr. Pemberton, which carries the story. Morgan and Mr. Pemberton aren’t the typical student, teacher partners. They expand beyond the set instructions of teaching. Mr. Pemberton finds different methods that work with Morgan’s learning style instead of trying to force him to be like others. Mr. Pemberton is inspiring to read about. He makes text books apply to real life.
While this major progress in education is taking place the family remains incapable of functioning properly. The Moreen’s are constantly moving to different hotels to escape the bills that they owe. They seem to work so hard to create an exterior image of a successful family that they never create anything real.
The teaching ideas are natural for Mr. Pemberton. When Mr. Pemberton first met Morgan he was unsure of what to think of him. He saw didn’t fear his mother. Mr. Pemberton frond this to be odd, causing him to start planning methods to use for teaching. He understands that Morgan doesn’t seem normal. He uses this information to change his lesions plans rather than change Morgan.
This job changes Mr. Pemberton as well. When he first started the job all he could think about was the money. He wanted to know how much he would be paid and when but through the course of the story he never receives money for his work. As the teaching continues Mr. Pemberton distances himself from the family except for Morgan. Morgan and he grow very fond of each other. One night when they go for a walk they begin to talk about their relationship. Morgan questions Mr. Pemberton’s motives for staying with the family. Mr. Pemberton explains that his compassion for the family is his only motive to stay. They end the conversation by setting up the idea that although they not fully understand each other they enjoy being with one another. The friendship that is developed through his tutoring is incredible. They are two people that most likely would have otherwise never crossed paths were able to form a story bond over education. The both were looking for personal gains with this exchange but found much more. Mr. Pemberton, who only wanted to find money, had his life changed for a little boy. In the first chapter, when he is first being introduced to the family he was trying to decided how to ask what his pay would consist of, in the least uncomfortable way. While Mrs. Moreen drags on her welcome him “He would have liked to hear the figure of his salary…” (James, 571). Money is not a factor in his tutoring, but the only factor. Morgan changes his drive for money to a compassion for teaching. He continues to teach for Morgan although he isn’t receiving a pay check.
Finally after he could not afford to keep his “… Mind was fully made up to quit the house the following week. This would give him time to get an answer to a letter he had dispatched to England” (James, 587). He had a plan to leave his job and leave his student/ friend. It was easier said than done for him. I feel bad for Mr. Pemberton to be in this rut. He wishes to continue to educate his newly formed friend but can’t support himself if he follows this path.
The education system that was shown in this short story was very controversial at the time. The stand form of schooling is a set school with the same lesions for all students, being taught the same way with no exceptions. This story explores a more personal idea of learning. It discovers a new relationship that a teacher can form with a student. Instead of a student simply being spoken to James open up the idea that they could instead have a conversation. The feedback that students can offer teachers is incredibly valuable if used. No two people are alike, to attempt to have all students learn the same way doesn’t make any sense. Henry James uses Mr. Pemberton shows the new style of education.