In “the exercise,” bernard maclaverty contrasts two ideas of fatherhood—one that is loving and one that is cold and strict. which lines reflect the theme of the strict father figure?
“you could have made a better job of it yourself. other hand.” the same ritual of raising and lowering the left hand with the tip of the cane to the desired height. (a){after all, i have taught you some latin.” crack. “it would be hard to do any worse.}

kevin went back to his place resisting a desire to hug his hands under his armpits and stumbled on a schoolbag jutting into the aisle as he pushed into his desk. again waldo looked round the class and said, “now we’ll have it right from someone.”

the class continued and kevin nursed his fingers, out of the fray.

(b){as the bell rang waldo gathered up his books and said, “sweeny, i want a word with you outside. ave maria, gratia plena . .” it was not until the end of the corridor that waldo turned to face him.} he looked at kevin and maintained his silence for a moment.

(c){sweeny, i must apologise to you.” kevin bowed his head. “i meant your father no harm – he’s probably a good man, a very good man.}

“yes, sir,” said kevin. the pain in his fingers had gone.

“look at me when i’m talking, .” kevin looked at his collar, his adam’s apple, then his face. (d) {it relaxed for a fraction and kevin thought he was almost going to smile, but he became efficient, abrupt again.}

there can be more than 1 answer.

the first proposition is to question economic materialism and victorian christianity. the lines are:

“it moves us not.—great god! i'd rather be

a pagan suckled in a creed outworn; ”

wordsworth is stating that nature no longer interests mankind, that the latter is not “moved” by it and explains that ancient western paganism had a more positive attitude concerning nature since it lacked the perv erted judaeo-christian interpretation of having received the world and all its animals and elements from god to use as we , instead of humans actually being not only part of nature but its wardens, meant to appreciate it and protect it.

the next lines are:

“so might i, standing on this pleasant lea,

have glimpses that would make me less forlorn;

have sight of proteus coming from the sea;

or hear old triton blow his wreathed horn.”

wordsworth here make it very clear that by actually looking and contemplating nature, human beings would reconnect with happiness, serenity and purpose. the use of mythological figures is quite evocative as well, proteus is a greek mythological god of the changing sea. he personifies the sea that changes, which symbolizes the way nature changes and inevitably can change to be destructive not only due to natural causes but to human pollution. furthermore, the sea is even more symbolic since all life originated in the sea so it is not only our past but our future since no life form in our planet can survive without water and if all water is destroyed in earth all life will be gone as well.

he then uses triton which is symbolic of the synthesis of both nature and mankind. triton is a mythological greek god that has the upper body of a man and the lower body of a fish (a merman). this human fish duality evokes the fact that humans are not only human but also part of nature, the fish tail representing nature. the main attribute of this god was that he used a conch shell as a horn to calm the roaring seas. in other words, triton uses nature through science for the benefit of human sailors who risk death during tempests. with the use of such metaphor, wordworth is conveying the message that human technology   is supposed to use nature to preserve nature and thereby humanity as well.

just say it's your friend did it and you had no idea?