Who has the more realistic view of the relationship? Why?

My Father

 

Amy Mitford:I don’t really know my father. He isn’t easy to get on with. He’s quite self-centred, and a little bit vain, I think, and in some ways quite unapproachable. The public must think he’s very easy-going, but at home he keeps Himself to himself. He can’t have been at home much when I was a child, because I don’t remember much about him. He’s always been slightly out of touch with family life. His work always came first, and he was always off somewhere acting or rehearsing.

 

He loves being asked for his autograph, he loves to be ‘ recognized. He has won several awards, and he’s very proud of that. He was given the Member of the British Empire, and we had to go to Buckingham Palace to get the medal. It was incredibly boring — there were hundreds of other people getting the same thing, and you had to sit there for hours. He shows off his awards to whoever comes to the house.

 

I went to public school, and because of my total lack of interest and non-attendance I was asked to leave. I didn’t want to go there in the first place. I was taken away from all my friends. He must have been very pleased to get me into the school, but in the end it was a complete waste of money. I let him down quite badly, I suppose.

 

I tried several jobs but I couldn’t settle down in them. They just weren’t challenging enough. Then I realized that what I really wanted to do was live in the country and look after animals, so that’s what I now do.

 

As a family, we’re not that close, either emotionally or geographically. We don’t see much of each other these days.

 

My father and I are totally different, like chalk and cheese. My interests have always been the country, but he’s into books, music and above all, opera, which I hate. If they do come to see us, they’re in completely the wrong clothes for the country — mink coats, nice little leather shoes, not exactly ideal for long walks across the fields.

 

He was totally opposed to me getting married. He was hoping we would break up. Gerald’s too humble, I suppose. He must have wanted me to marry someone famous, but I didn’t, and that’s all there is to it. We don’t want children, but my father keeps on and on talking about wanting grandchildren. You can’t make someone have children just because you want grandchildren.

 

I never watch him on television. I’m not that interested, and anyway he usually forgets to tell me when he’s on.

 

 

Exercise 1. Comprehension check In questions 1-3, there is not necessarily one correct answer only.

 

1 How would you describe their relationship?

1. It was closer when Amy was a child.

2. They get on well, and agree on most things.

3. He has more respect for her than she does for him.

4. They don’t have very much in common.

2 How would you describe James Mitford?

1. He has done all that a father can for his daughter.

2. He isn’t very aware of how she really feels.

3. He’s more interested in himself than his family.

3 How would you describe Amy?

1. She is selfish and spoilt.

2. It took her a long time to decide what she wanted to do in life.

3. She found happiness in marriage that she didn’t have in childhood.

4 What did he think of her friends when she was a teenager?

5 Why did she leave school?

6 Why did she give up her jobs?

7 What does he think of her husband?

8 Is she interested in his career?

9 Is she going to have children?    

10 How often do they see each other?

What do you think?