shootingstar
Member
- Joined
- Nov 17, 2022
- Member Type
- Student or Learner
- Native Language
- German
- Home Country
- Germany
- Current Location
- Germany
(William and Martin are choristers. They have just performed a play at the Mussey family. Now they are to sing a song. William is in drag ; he has played a female part)
'You wouldn't sing for us now, would you, boys?' says Mrs Mussey, seated at the kitchen table with her father. 'Before Grandad goes home?'
Martin looks expectantly at William, who nods back.
'What shall we do?' says Martin.
'"Myfanway"?' William says.
Martin pulls a face. 'Bit of a downer? . . . ."
. . .
'We can do it in Welsh or English,' William offers, becoming gradually conscious of the make-up and dress he's wearing.
'Welsh!' a few voices shout. . . .
'But you have to tell us what it means first,' says Imogen (Martin's sister), looking solely at William.
'Let's go back into the sitting room.' Mrs Mussey gives an arm to help her father up. 'We can all sit down and you can give us a translation before you sing.'
. . .
Martin nods at William. 'You tell them about the song.'
William suddenly feels raw, standing there in drag, about to tell them something so beautiful and tender. As if he's about to peel off a layer of skin.
. . .
(From A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe, Part II Cambridge Choir, chapter 26)
What does 'raw' mean there? I assume it could mean something like 'stark naked'. Maybe the last sentence suggests its meaning.
'You wouldn't sing for us now, would you, boys?' says Mrs Mussey, seated at the kitchen table with her father. 'Before Grandad goes home?'
Martin looks expectantly at William, who nods back.
'What shall we do?' says Martin.
'"Myfanway"?' William says.
Martin pulls a face. 'Bit of a downer? . . . ."
. . .
'We can do it in Welsh or English,' William offers, becoming gradually conscious of the make-up and dress he's wearing.
'Welsh!' a few voices shout. . . .
'But you have to tell us what it means first,' says Imogen (Martin's sister), looking solely at William.
'Let's go back into the sitting room.' Mrs Mussey gives an arm to help her father up. 'We can all sit down and you can give us a translation before you sing.'
. . .
Martin nods at William. 'You tell them about the song.'
William suddenly feels raw, standing there in drag, about to tell them something so beautiful and tender. As if he's about to peel off a layer of skin.
. . .
(From A Terrible Kindness by Jo Browning Wroe, Part II Cambridge Choir, chapter 26)
What does 'raw' mean there? I assume it could mean something like 'stark naked'. Maybe the last sentence suggests its meaning.
Last edited:
