Maharashtra Board Class 12 English Chapter 4.2 To Sir with Love Textbook PDF Download

4.2 To Sir, with Love

Eustace Edward Ricardo Braithwaite (1912 to 2016), known as E. R. Braithwaite, was a Guyanese-born British-American novelist, writer, teacher and diplomat, best known for his stories of social conditions and racial discrimination against black people. He was the author of one of the famous 1959 autobiographical novels, 'To Sir, with Love'.

He also wrote 'A Kind of Homecoming', about his tour of Africa, 'A Choice of Straws', a novel set in London, and 'Reluctant Neighbors', a memoir and treatise about racism. Braithwaite's numerous writings primarily deal with the difficulties of being an educated black man, a black social worker, a black teacher, and simply a human being who found himself in a set of inhumane circumstances.

'To Sir, with Love' is an autobiographical novel. The narrator is an engineer, but to make both ends meet, he accepts the job of a teacher in a rough London East End school. The school is full of troublemaker students who were rejected from other schools for their behaviour. At the beginning, the narrator is ridiculed and bullied by the students, but later his calm demeanor and desire to see them succeed gradually earn him their respect.

Characters

Major Characters

Ricky Braithwaite, Narrator

Gillian Blanchard

Mrs. Dale-Evans

Denham

Pamela Dare

Mr. Florian

Minor Characters

Bob Belmont

Jess Belmont

Jacqueline Bender

Buckley

Clinty

Josy Dawes

Selma Drew

Patrick Fernman

Hackman

Tich Jackson

Moira Joseph

Monica Page

Palmer

Barbera Pegg

Euphema Phillips

Potter

Jane Purcell

Sapiano

Larence Seales

Theo Watson

Teacher's Note

E. R. Braithwaite faced racism because he was a black man in Britain after the war. Just like many Indians face discrimination in foreign countries, Braithwaite also faced it in his own country.

Exam Trick

Remember: The book's title 'To Sir, with Love' shows respect for teachers. When students call Braithwaite 'Sir', it means they respect him now.

Points to Remember

E. R. Braithwaite was born in Guyana in 1912.

He wrote 'To Sir, with Love' as an autobiography about his life as a teacher.

The story is set in London after World War II.

Braithwaite taught troublemaker students who were rejected from other schools.

The main themes are racism, student-teacher relationships, and the power of respect.

Summary Of The Novel

'To Sir, with Love' is a work of fiction based on the life of the author, E.R. Braithwaite. The main character, E. R. Braithwaite, works as an engineer in an oil refinery. He served in the Royal British Air Force in the war. After the war, being a black person, he was unable to find employment. As a last resort, he applied in a school to become a teacher. Surprisingly, he is accepted at the Greenslade School in London's East End, and is set to teach the senior classes of the school.

While reading the novel, we have to understand that the time period in which the story takes place is very important. Braithwaite finds that even though he considers himself British and has served in the Royal Air Force (RAF), the English do not consider him to be one of them. This leads Braithwaite to feel bitter about the English and colonialism, as well as about his white students.

Braithwaite's teaching position starts out roughly and is embarrassed time and again. He considers his students disrespectful, ill-mannered and mischievous while his students consider him to be an arrogant outsider, unfamiliar with the social environment in which they have grown up. The students harass him from day one, slamming their desks during his lecture, using foul language, and bullying him to a great extent. Even the girl students do not spare a moment to harass Braithwaite. In a reaction to that Braithwaite verbally scolds the girls for acting in an unladylike manner and being unruly in the class.

When he understands that his outburst has not gained him any respect and cooperation from the students, he changes his teaching and handling tactics and he decides to interact with them as though they are adults and respectable persons. He requires every girl be referred to as 'Miss' and that his students call him 'Sir.' At first, the students find this level of deference ridiculous and unnecessary; however, they come around after only a few weeks, completely changing both their hygiene and their attitudes towards one another. This marks the success of Braithwaite in handling the students in a very amicable way.

To increase the class cultural exposure, he takes them on field trips and excursions to museums and theatres, to everyone's surprise many of the students have never been. A white female teacher, Gillian Blanchard, accompanies the class on these excursions; this marks the beginning of a friendship between Blanchard and Braithwaite. Similarly, Braithwaite's relationship with his students is tested many a times. Although his students frequently disappoint and hurt him, he learns to forgive them, the students constantly surprise him with their maturity, empathy and knowledge.

Another facet of the story which greatly affects its narrative lies is the heavy history of colonialism, its dark consequences, mental and physical trauma that increases Braithwaite's hatred and wrath for British. He constantly feels the prejudicial effects of colonialism while living in England after World War II, and these negative experiences frequently shape his thoughts and actions. Braithwaite is surprised and shocked by the conditions in which these students live, and also the physical trauma of the war that can be seen throughout his teaching environment.

Teacher's Note

Braithwaite learned that treating students with respect changes everything. Just like in Indian schools, when teachers respect students, the students work harder and behave better.

Exam Trick

Remember: The story shows that education is powerful. Even rough students can become good when a teacher treats them with kindness and respect.

Points to Remember

Braithwaite was an engineer who became a teacher.

He faced racism because he was black in Britain.

He changed his teaching by treating students as adults.

He took students on field trips to museums and theatres.

The students became respectful and hardworking over time.

Theme Of The Novel

Students-teacher relationship, prejudice and racism are the major themes of the novel.

E. R. Braithwaite gets a job of a teacher in a rather rough and notorious school. He finds that the students belong to a background that is not suitable for learning and their overall development and progress. He notices that the students are in no mood to change their attitude and behaviour. Braithwaite with his novel and creative ideas, innovative techniques and understanding the students' psychology, ultimately wins their hearts in no time. Though he was bullied, harassed, mentally and physically tortured many times, he didn't lose his patience and continued implementing his novel ideas and techniques that helped him to bring a significant change in his students' lives.

The racism prevalent in Great Britain during the mid-1940s, the time period during which 'To Sir, with Love' takes place, is of primary significance in the novel. The narrator cites repeated incidents in which he experiences the racism of white Britons, including encounters on the bus, at job interviews, at Greenslade school, when searching for housing, at a restaurant with his girl friend and so on.

At the outset, Braithwaite is struck by the unexpectedness of such prejudice. He was brought up in British Guiana and he viewed himself as a British citizen, not as a black British citizen in a British colony. When he served Great Britain in the Royal Air Force, that gave him respect and esteem in the society. The day he left the job, he finds himself to be an outsider.

Braithwaite's extensive experience and education was of no use in job interviews, where he is informed that the job has already been filled or he is overqualified for it. This heightens Braithwaite's sense of betrayal for the British. Interestingly, he never lashes out physically and only rarely does he do so verbally. He exhibits patient endurance at times, and at others he describes the way the rage inside him is transforming into hatred so strong that he desires to hurt those who treat him unfairly. As a result of such experiences, Braithwaite finds the students at the Greenslade school to be a bit notorious and rough in behaviour but with proper care and treatment, all the students would surely achieve success and desired goals in their lives.

Teacher's Note

The novel shows us that racism is wrong and hurtful. In our own country, we should never judge people by their skin color or religion.

Exam Trick

Remember: Racism = bad. The book teaches us to treat all people equally, no matter their race or color.

Points to Remember

Racism is a major theme in the book.

Braithwaite faced discrimination even though he was educated and had served in the war.

He was patient and did not fight back with violence.

He believed rough students could change with proper care.

The book teaches us about the importance of equality and respect.

Synopsis Of The Extract

In this extract, Braithwaite recounts the half-yearly report of the Students' Council, in which the students of the school report to the faculty and other students on what they have been studying thus far. Braithwaite's class representatives speak knowledgeably about their coursework and place a considerable amount of emphasis on how much they have learnt about different people, cultures, customs, and the importance of international and interracial cooperation.

Miss Joseph and Denham, both students of Braithwaite's class, preside over the meeting. At the outset, Mr. Florian, the headmaster, addresses the meeting with a lengthy, but well-received presentation. One after another, each class gives a brief report of their progress, through their chosen representatives, on what they have been studying in each subject so far. A panel of teachers is chosen for each class to answer any questions regarding the report submitted by the class. The lowest class begins first, and it is obvious that as the students progress through the ranks there is 'a marked development in their ability to express themselves'. Mr. Braithwaite's class, being the oldest, was the last to present their report.

Miss Joseph begins the highest class's proceedings by clarifying that the common theme underlying all their studies this term is the interdependency of mankind. Potter speaks in the field of math, focusing on how greater understanding in the world is fostered by the use of common weights and measures. Miss Pegg and Jackson speak on geography, and Miss Dare and Fernman discuss the subject of physiology, with Fernman stealing the show by exhibiting a model of a human skeleton and stressing the class conclusion that "basically all people were the same." Miss Dodd reports on history, and Miss Joseph on domestic science. Denham creates a stir by speaking on the required subject of P.T. and games, complaining that the class 'was ill-conceived and pointless.'

Mr. Weston, Mrs. Dale-Evans, and Miss Phillips are chosen at random to answer students' questions arising from the senior presentations. When Denham pursues his inquiry on the necessity of requiring all students to take P.T., Mr. Weston responds quite ridiculously, trying to bluster his way out of the subject, and offering no coherent argument. Unexpectedly, the quiet and hesitant Miss Phillips steps in and gives a sturdy defense of the practice, and Denham, knowing that he has been outwitted, has no choice but to respectfully cease his heated protest. Braithwaite is immensely satisfied with the progress of the students of his class.

Teacher's Note

The Students' Council meeting shows that students learned well. This is like our school assemblies where students show what they have learned in class.

Exam Trick

Remember: Miss Phillips was quiet but very smart. Never judge someone by their looks. The best answers come from the kindest people.

Points to Remember

The Students' Council meeting was held on November 15th.

Students presented reports on what they learned about different subjects.

Denham complained about P.T. classes being pointless.

Miss Phillips gave the best answer about P.T. exercises.

Braithwaite was very happy with his students' progress.

This is a preview of the first 3 pages. To get the complete book, click below.