Vanity Fair

YOUN G A D UL T

READERS

STAGE 5

Vanity Fair A Novel without a Hero Vanity Fair was written 200 years ago, but it is a thoroughly modern story that provides us with universal truths about what it means to be human, in all its splendour – and with all its imperfections. It is a story full of memorable characters who accompany you on a fascinating journey through the first part of the nineteenth century. A journey full of comedy, tragedy, romance and adventure.

In this reader you will find: - Information about William Makepeace Thackeray’s life - Sections focusing on background and context - Glossary of difficult words - Comprehension activities - CAE-style activities - Exit test

Tags Love

WILLIAM Makepeace Thackeray Vanity Fair: A novel without a Hero

William Makepeace Thackeray

STAGE 5

Eli Readers is a beautifully illustrated series of timeless classics and specially-written stories for learners of English.

WILLIAM Makepeace Thackeray Vanity Fair A novel without a Hero

Society

Elementary

600 headwords

A1

STAGE 2

Pre-Intermediate

800 headwords

A2

Key (KET)

STAGE 3

Intermediate

1000 headwords

B1

Preliminary (PET)

STAGE 4

Upper Intermediate

1800 headwords

B2

First (FCE)

STAGE 5

Advanced

2500 headwords

C1

Advanced (CAE)

STAGE 6

Proficiency

Unabridged Texts

C2

Proficiency (CPE)

Classic

YO 8

97

S ER AD -7 l. RE .r. I 34 I s EL air 20 EL LT ty F 36U i -5 AD Van -88

BN

IS

G

N

U

Download full text as MP3 from www.elireaders.com

YOUN G A D UL T E LI R E A D E R S

STAGE 1

ELT C 1

www.elireaders.com

ELT C1

YOUN G A D UL T

READERS

6

7

Chapter One

Amelia and Becky

2 Welcome to Vanity Fair! The manager of the theatre is waiting impatiently.

It’s nearly time to begin our show. From behind the curtain, he can see the audience. It’s very noisy out there. There is a great deal of eating and drinking, laughing and smoking and fighting, and dancing.

The performance is about to begin. I promise you scenes of battle, of romance and comedy. Our puppets are ready to come on the stage, and we will start our story with Amelia and Becky. And now the manager bows to his audience, and the curtain rises. Let the performance begin! === Our story begins just outside Miss Pinkerton’s Academy for Young Ladies at Chiswick Mall in London. A large family carriage is waiting for two young ladies. They are about to leave the school to begin their life in the adult world. But the two ladies are leaving under very different circumstances.

Miss Pinkerton herself looked at the carriage from the window of her office. She was with her sister, Jemima.

‘Have you completed all the preparations for their departure Jemima?’ asked Miss Pinkerton.

‘Everything is ready,’ replied Jemima.

‘Well, send in Amelia Sedley,’ said Miss Pinkerton.

10

After-reading Activities

Speaking 1

Look again at the predictions you made in exercise 10 on page 121. Were you right? Did anything about the ending of the story surprise you?

Note Taking 2

Make some notes about how the story ended for the following characters.

1 Amelia ……………………………………………………………………....................………………….....…

2 Dobbin ……………………………………………………………………....................………………….....…

3 Rawdon ……………………………………………………………………....................………………….....…

4 Becky ……………………………………………………………………....................………………….....…

5 Sir Pitt ……………………………………………………………………....................………………….....…

6 Lady Jane ……………………………………………………………………....................………………….....…

7 Rawdon Jr. ……………………………………………………………………....................………………….....…

8 Georgy ……………………………………………………………………....................………………….....…

9 Joseph ……………………………………………………………………....................………………….....…

132

Writing 3a

At the beginning of the book, Thackeray promises us tales of battle, romance and comedy. Write down some examples of stories in the book that fit these descriptions.

1 battle

................................................................................................................

2 romance ................................................................................................................

3 comedy ................................................................................................................

3b What is your favourite moment in the story?

Note Taking & Speaking 4a In this chapter Becky asks Dobbin, ‘What is your accusation?’

What had Becky done wrong in the eyes of society? Make a list of the things that she is guilty of.

4b

Would Becky be accused of the same things in society today?

Discussion Points 5

Becky, like most women in those times, had to wear a mask at the gambling house. Why was this so? Can you think of any activities or professions that were considered unsuitable for women in the past but are acceptable now?

6 ‘Amelia didn’t want to give Dobbin anything, but she wanted him to give her everything. It is a deal that is quite common in love.’ Do you agree with the author’s comments about love and relationships?

7

How important was it that Amelia wrote the letter to Dobbin before reading George’s note? Why did Becky scream with laughter when she found out about this?

8

Look back at the exercise that you did in chapter five on page 78. Are the contents of your note similar to George’s note?

133

FOCUS ON...

William Makepeace Thackeray Following his own Path Thackeray was born in Calcutta in India in 1811. His father and grandfather had earned their living working as civil servants in the government of India. But such a steady form of employment was not for Thackeray. He was always independent, and in spite of going to various schools with an excellent reputation, and studying at Cambridge, he left university without getting a degree. He did, however, study Art in Paris in about 1834.

What Thackeray loved to do was write. While at Cambridge, he wrote for a paper called The Snob. His writing was always full of humour and satire. He wrote for Fraser’s Magazine in 1837, and he was on the staff of the famous satirical magazine Punch from 1842 to 1851.

During this time, he wrote Vanity Fair which

was a great success. He completed this masterpiece when he was 37 years old.

Other major works of Thackeray include The Memoirs of Barry Lyndon Esq. (1844), Pendennis (1848-1850), The History of Henry Esmond Esq. (1852), The Newcomers (18531855), and The Virginians (1857-1859).

A Compassionate Man Thackeray was well known for his good nature, as one can see from his time as editor of another journal of the period, The Cornhill Magazine. He began his work there in 1859, but in 1862 he resigned because he couldn’t bear having to turn down contributors who wanted to be published.

134

Other Interests Although Thackeray spent a great deal of time following his main passion, that of writing, he also had another interest, which was gambling. He was extremely interested in politics and stood for

parliament, unsuccessfully, in Oxford in 1859. His interest in world affairs may have begun when he met Napoleon Bonaparte on his way back to England from India when he was a child.

Thackeray, the Husband and Father Thackeray’s married life was far from simple. His wife was an Irish woman, named Isabella. She was the daughter of a colonel and she had a beautiful singing voice. He modelled the character of Amelia on her. They had three daughters, but sadly one of them died very young.

Isabella suffered greatly with mental health problems, although she survived her husband by thirty years.

Thackeray himself died on December 24th in 1863. He was buried in Kensal Green in London, but there is a monument to him that can be seen at Westminster Abbey.

Portrait of Anne Becher Thackery and William Makepeace Thackeray at about age 2 in Madras

As you have just read, Thackeray modelled the character of Amelia on his wife. Reading through some of the details of his life can you identify other facts or events that may have had an influence on Vanity Fair?

135