can anyone wants to share the whole summary of novel "Good bye Mr. Chips"....
Answers
*Answer:
James Hilton's novel, Good-bye Mr. Chips, is a sentimental tale about a popular schoolteacher at Brookfield, an English boys school. Nearly the entire story takes place in the form of a reminiscence as old Mr. Chips sits happily in his rocking chair before a roaring fire one November night. A popular teacher, Mr. Chips became the most beloved figure at the school, eventually ascending to headmaster. He was known for his excellent memory for faces and for his way of turning a joke. His students, many who became leading politicians, loved him for his good humor and his kindness. As he sat by the fire, he thought about his wife, who had died many years before, and about the bombs the Germans rained upon the town during World War I. Mr. Chips, now 85 years old and retired, had been at Brookfield for nearly half a century before his retirement; now, as he remembered so fondly the good times he had enjoyed, there was a knock on his door. It was a young student who, he claimed, had been told that Mr. Chips had sent for him. Mr. Chips recognized it as a longtime prank the Brookfield boys had often played, but rather than embarrass the boy, he told him to sit and have tea. Afterward, the boy waved goodbye. He would later proudly tell his friends that he was the last person to say goodbye to Mr. Chips, for the old headmaster and teacher died peacefully in his sleep shortly after the boy left.
Answer:
Good-bye, Mr. Chips," by James Hilton, tells the story of Mr. Chipping, nicknamed Mr. Chips, who becomes a teacher at an English all-boys boarding school called Brookfield. Mr. Chips worked for a year at another school but did not feel comfortable there and did not get a very good review from the headmaster. Mr. Chips is one of the language teachers and rather unenthusiastically teaches the dead languages of Ancient Greek and Latin. Privately, he feels that learning these languages is rather meaningless but nonetheless goes through the motions. He is not a very good disciplinarian and in fact is somewhat intimidated by the student body.
Mr. Chips lives at the school and has very little personal pleasure in his life. Chips has never felt comfortable around women—his ideal woman is delicate, weak and timid. When he is 48-years old, he and a school colleague take a summer vacation on a lake in the area. While on a hike up a rocky hill, a young woman is waving in his direction. He thinks she is in peril and starts to rush to her aid. However, he gets his foot stuck between the rocks and the woman winds up coming to his aid. The woman is 25-year-old Katherine Bridges who helps Chips hobble back to his room. She checks in on him during his recovery and soon the two fall in love and marry before the next semester at Brookfield begins.
Katherine is the antipathy of Chips' ideal woman. She is strong, opinionated and politically liberal. Katherine's effervescent personality and spirit awakens the real Mr. Chips who was there all along. She teaches him to think independently, speak his mind, love and share joy and most of all to have fun and laugh and laugh.
Tragically, Katherine dies in childbirth the year after they marry. The child she was attempting to deliver died that same day as well. Chips is in the throes of depression over his loss, but by tapping Katherine's spirit and outlook he is able to carry on. Chips begins to relax and enjoy himself and ultimately discovers he has another true love—that is the one for his students. Chips is inspired by Katherine's spirit, often relegating the curriculum to a lesser importance than exploring the humor of a situation or person.
Mr. Chips becomes the most popular teacher at Brookfield. After he retires, he moves in across the street so he can stay in close contact with the students—making a special effort to meet the newly-arriving students each year. He is asked to come back and help at school because the staff has been depleted by the demands of World War I. When the young headmaster tells Chips that Chips belongs at Brookfield and is needed to hold them all together, he is overcome with emotion. Chips faces further tragedy with the loss of many of his students who are killed in the war.
In his final years, he spends much time reflecting about his life and career. On his deathbed, he hears a comment from one of his gathered colleagues that it was a pity he never had children. He corrects the person. He has had children—thousands and thousands of them. As he shuts his eyes for the final time, he is comforted by thoughts of his beloved students.