MR NOBODY

 MR NOBODY

BY ANONYMOUS

I know a funny little man,

    As quiet as a mouse,

Who does the mischief that is done

    In everybody’s house!

There’s no one ever sees his face,

    And yet we all agree

That every plate we break was cracked

    By Mr. Nobody.

’Tis he who always tears out books,

    Who leaves the door ajar,

He pulls the buttons from our shirts,

    And scatters pins afar;

That squeaking door will always squeak,

    For prithee, don’t you see,

We leave the oiling to be done

    By Mr. Nobody.

He puts damp wood upon the fire,
That kettle cannot boil;
His are the feet that bring in mud,
And all the carpets soil.
The papers are always mislaid,
Who had them last but he?
There's no one tosses them about 
But Mr Nobody.

The finger marks upon the door

    By none of us are made;

We never leave the blinds unclosed,

    To let the curtains fade.

The ink we never spill;   the boots

    That lying round you see

Are not our boots,—they all belong

    To Mr. Nobody.

TYPE OF POEM

A poem on life.

SUBJECT

Behaving badly and not owning up.

TITLE

A suitable title because the purpose is to blame nobody. Nobody is a non-person so he is the best person to push the blame to.

SETTING

The poem is set in the house as the persona talks about the situation in the house. Things get broken, misplaced and thrown around by an unseen person. His behavior messes up the house.

PERSONA

It is the poet’s voice. The poet is also the persona. There is one voice but several character are involved – I, we, Mr. Nobody.

DEVICES

A limited rhyming pattern – only lines 2 and 4 of each stanza rhyme.

Similie : As quiet as a mouse.

Imagery : Images of mess - mud, carpets soiled, papers mislaid, finger marks upon the door, ink…spilled, boots lying around.

Metaphor : the door ajar is like saying Mr. Nobody moves in and out like a thief unseen. The squeaking door will always squeak  as though it is a mouse.

The uses of senses

·         See – mud, marks, curtains fade, books, door ajar

·         Hear – quiet, break, cracked, tears, squek

·         Touch – damp

LANGUAGE

Simple and direct. Every stanza ends with Mr. Nobody. Old expressions are used –  prithee. Double meaning is used to create humor such as Mr Nobody refers to a person and a non-person. Lying means not telling the truth or being found all over.  We can see contrast or irony no one ever sees his face…yet we all agree that he is the mischief maker. This is used to express sarcasm.

TONE

The topic is serious but the tone is casual.

THEME

·         Responsiblibility for one’s action. Very few people own up when they create a problem. They tend to put the blame on others.

·         Truth and honesty.

·         Respect for family members.

·         Cultivate a good habit.

MORAL VALUE

·         We must work together to look after the family home.

·         Have respect for other’s property.

·         Value and appreciate things at home

·         Practice discipline wherever and whenever necessary.

·         We must be tidy all the time.

·         Appreciate the person who has to clean up after us.

MISCHIEF DONE BY MR NOBODY

scattering pins afar

tossing   newspapers

breaking plate

tearing book

pulling buttons off the shirt

never oiling the door
leaving finger marks upon the door

lying boots around

putting damp wood upon the fire

bringing  in mud and soiling the carpert

spilling ink

leaving the blinds unclosed 

Fading curtains

as quiet as a mouse

Who is actually Mr Nobody?

• a person with no name?
• a ghost?
• a mischief maker?
• an imagery character?
• a very shy person?
• the personality we become when we do naughty things?
• someone who influences us to be bad?
• someone  on whom we like to put blame on?

EXERCISE

Read the poem and answer the following questions.

1. Which  expression shows that the funny little man does all the mischievous things secretly? (11/2 mark)

As quiet as a mouse

2. Why does the speaker says that the door will always squeak? (11/2 mark)

Nobody oils it

3. What is said about Mr. Nobody's mischief in stanza 1? (1 mark)

He cracked the  plates

4. What happened to the book on the shelves? (2 marks)

The pages are torn

5. What has happened to the pins? (1 mark)

The pins are scattered

6. Why does the door squeak? (2 marks)

Nobody oils it

7. Why doesn't the kettle boil? (1 mark)

Someone puts damp wood  upon the fire

8. Why are the carpets soiled? (1 mark)

Someone brings in mud

9. What is Mr Nobody blamed for in the last lines of the poem? ( 2 marks)

The boots that are left lying around

10. Why do you think the persona chooses to stress on Mr. Nobody committing mischief? ( 2 marks)

Mr Nobody represents a person who does want to be responsible of his actions. He is not a bad person but an irresponsible  one and these actions are normal in the process of growing up.