Beruflich Dokumente
Kultur Dokumente
The novel tells the story of a much-beloved schoolteacher, Mr. Chipping, and his forty-three-year-long tenure at
Brookfield Grammar School, a fictional second-rate British boys public boarding school located in the fictional village
of Brookfield, situated in the Fenlands. Mr. Chipping has a rigidly orthodox personality; conventional in manner and
beliefs, very pedantic about education, and (an unpopular) disciplinarian with students. Brookfield's headmaster and
faculty call him Chips, while the boys call him Ditchy (short for ditchwater). He conquers his inability to connect with
his students, as well as his initial shyness, when he marries Katherine, a young woman whom he meets on holiday,
and who quickly picks up on calling him by his nickname, "Chips". Katherine charms the Brookfield faculty and
Headmaster with her personality, and quickly wins the favor of Brookfield's students, who call her Mrs Chips. Despite
Chipping's own mediocre academic record, and the sense that Greek and Latin (his academic subjects) are
becoming obsolete, he goes on to have an illustrious career as an inspiring educatorstill demanding, but fairat
Brookfield. In his later years, his sense of humour blooms into a quaint richness that pleases everyone, but is without
any malice.
Although the book is unabashedly sentimental, it also depicts the sweeping social changes that Chips experiences
throughout his life: he begins his tenure at Brookfield in September 1870, at the age of 22, as the Franco-Prussian
War was breaking out and lay on his deathbed shortly after Adolf Hitler's rise to power, in November 1933, at the age
of 85. He was seen as an individual who was able to connect to anyone on a human level, beyond what he (by proxy
of his late wife) viewed as petty politics, such as the strikers, the Boers, and a German friend.
Katherines influence:
The marriage had a very good effect on Chips. He was very happy after his marriage. His
discipline in his classes became better. His teaching became interesting. He became broadminded and began making jokes in his classes Katherine became quite popular at
Brookfield. She gave him good pieces of advice and went with him to the parties of the
school. She even knew singing and often sung to his pleasure. After two years of her
marriage Katherine died in 1898.
Chips resignation:
In 1911, Ralston left Brookfield and a young man Chatteris aged 34 became the new
headmaster in 1913, Chips resigned at the age of 65, as he had fallen seriously ill. The
school gave a grand farewell party to Chips.
Visit to Germany:
Mr. Chips had severe attack of bronchitis which fasted for six months before retirement.
Soon after his retirement from service, he went to Germany for a few months for medical
treatment. In September 1913, he returned from Germany.
Employed again:
In 1916, during the first world war, Chips again joined the Brookfield school as a teacher
when the headmaster Chatteris asked him to do so. The next year in 1917, Chatteris fell
seriously ill and Chips became the acting headmaster in his place. When Chatteris died in
April, 1918, Chips went on working as headmaster. In November 1918 the first world war
came to an end. Chips again fell seriously ill and again resigned from service.