The key answer of exercise 7
The key to exercise solutions in chapter 5 - Culture and competences for the textbook Performer B1, Vol. 2 with authors Marina Spiazzi, Marina Tavella e Margaret Layton from Zanichelli
Question
Describe all the characters in the story. Then discuss what kind of world each character represents.
Answer
The Dragon
- Description: The dragon is characterized as "pale and scruffy." It seeks a disease to end its life, feeling dissatisfied, tax-troubled, and lacking in purpose. The dragon's fine fiery eyes convey its emotional state.
- World Representation: The dragon represents a world of existential despair and disillusionment, longing for meaning and purpose in a seemingly unsatisfactory life.
Nurse
- Description: The nurse in St Valentine's hospital interacts with the dragon. She claims to have every kind of disease in their intensive Despair Unit. She appears confident and tries to reassure the dragon.
- World Representation: The nurse symbolizes a medical world that, despite claiming to have every kind of disease, ultimately fails to provide the dragon with a solution. Her world represents a system that may offer false hope or temporary relief.
Colonel of Sanitation
- Description: The Colonel is in a green uniform, frustrated with the city's cleanliness issues. He engages in a conversation with the dragon, speculating about its nature and offering a unique solution to its problems.
- World Representation: The Colonel represents a world of bureaucracy and frustration, focusing on mundane issues like cleanliness. His attempt to declare the dragon an endangered species introduces a humorous and absurd element to the story.
President
- Mentioned: The President is referred to indirectly in the Colonel's statement about the President's interest in endangered species.
- World Representation: The President symbolizes a higher authority, suggesting a world where even the leader is concerned with matters like endangered species.
Overall World Representation
The story paints a world where existential crises, bureaucracy, and attempts to find meaning coexist. The dragon's emotional world reflects a sense of despair and longing, while the nurse and hospital represent a medical system that falls short. The Colonel introduces an element of absurdity, highlighting the challenges of dealing with mundane issues in the larger context of personal struggles. The President's mention adds a layer of authority, hinting at a world where even leaders are concerned with unconventional matters. The narrative explores the intersection of personal and societal worlds, blending elements of the fantastical with the mundane.
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