Department of English
Faculty of Arts, Chulalongkorn University
The
Wayfarer
(1899)
Stephen Crane
(1955– )
The
wayfarer, |
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Perceiving
the pathway to truth, |
|
Was
struck with astonishment. |
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It was
thickly grown with weeds. |
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“Ha,”
he said, |
5 |
“I see
that none has passed here |
|
In a long time.” | |
Later he saw that each weed | |
Was a singular knife. | |
“Well,” he mumbled at last, | 10 |
“Doubtless there are other roads.” | |
Notes
1 wayfarer:
way (n.)
O.E. weg "road, path, course of travel," from P.Gmc. *wegaz (cf. O.S., Du. weg, O.N. vegr, O.Fris. wei, O.H.G. weg, Ger. Weg, Goth. wigs "way"), from PIE *wegh- "to move"
fare (n.)
O.E. fær "journey, road, passage, expedition," strong neut. of faran "to journey" (see fare (v.)); merged with faru "journey, expedition, companions, baggage," strong fem. of faran. Original sense is obsolete, except in compounds (wayfarer, sea-faring, etc.) Meaning "food provided" is c.1200; that of "conveyance" appears in Scot. early 15c. and led to sense of "payment for passage" (1510s).fare (v.)
O.E. faran "to journey, set forth, go, travel, wander, get on, undergo, make one's way," from P.Gmc. *faranan (cf. O.S., O.H.G., Goth. faran, O.N., O.Fris. fara, Du. varen, Ger. fahren), from PIE *por- "going, passage," from root *per- "to lead, pass over" (see port (1)).
2 perceiving:
perceive (v.)
c.1300, via Anglo-Fr. parceif, O.N.Fr. *perceivre (O.Fr. perçoivre), from L. percipere "obtain, gather," also, metaphorically, "to grasp with the mind," lit. "to take entirely," from per "thoroughly" (see per) + capere "to grasp, take" (see capable).
Replaced O.E. ongietan. Both the Latin senses were in Old French, though the primary sense of Modern French percevoir is literal, "to receive, collect" (rents, taxes, etc.), while English uses the word almost always in the metaphorical sense.
9 singular:
1a: of or relating to a separate person or thing: individual b: of, relating to, or being a word form denoting one person, thing, or instance <a singular noun> c: of or relating to a single instance or to something considered by itself
2: distinguished by superiority: exceptional <an artist of singular attainments>
3: being out of the ordinary: unusual <on the way home we had a singular adventure>
4: departing from general usage or expectation : peculiar, odd <the air had a singular chill>
Study Questions
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Sample Student Responses to Crane's "The Wayfarer"
Response 1:
Study Question:
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Response
2:
Student Name 2202234 Introduction to the Study of English Literature Acharn Puckpan Tipayamontri September 6, 2011 Reading Response #1
Title <Text of
reading response>
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Reference
Links |
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Stephen Crane |
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Reference
Crane, Stephen. Prose and Poetry. New York: Library of America, 1984. Print.
[IIC CS
813.4 CP]
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Last
updated
June 27, 2012