Celebration
A very special English child was born “to a rich family of the name of Tudor.” “All England” had waited for him and “wanted him.” England had “so longed for him,” and “hoped for him,” and “prayed God for him” that when he finally came, “the people went nearly mad for joy.” Even “mere acquaintances hugged and kissed each other and cried.” Everybody “took a holiday,” and “high and low, rich and poor,” feasted and “danced and sang,” and “got very mellow.” They kept it up “for days and nights together.” This imagery evokes a feeling of excitement and happiness.
Offal Court
“All Offal Court” was just “such another hive as Canty’s house.” “Drunkenness, riot and brawling” were “the order” there. “Every night” and “nearly all night long” there were quarrels and fist fights. That was a violent place. Yet little Tom “was not unhappy.” He had “a hard time of it,” but he didn’t know it. It was “the sort of time that all the Offal Court boys had,” thus he supposed it was “the correct and comfortable thing.” When he came home “empty-handed at night,” he knew his father would “curse him and thrash him first.” This imagery evokes a feeling of sadness; the poor boy lives a terrible life and doesn’t even know that he can live differently.
The new role
Tom was used to a fact that his well-being was only his responsibility; thus, the time he spent in the palace was a rather strange period of his life. When the boy tried to reach “a cup of water,” “a silk-and-velvet servitor seized it, dropped upon one knee, and offered it to him.” When he tried to take off his “buskins,” “another silk-and-velvet discomforter went down upon his knees.” They didn’t allow him to do anything. Tom became a captive. He even had to sleep in the room “full of people.” This imagery is supposed to show how exhausted and confused Tom was.
