The Night the Bed Fell is a humorous short story by James Thurber, published in his 1953 collection "The Thurber Carnival." The story is narrated by the protagonist, whose name is not revealed, and centers around a series of events that occur one night in his household.
One of the main characters in the story is the protagonist, who is a young man with a vivid imagination and a talent for storytelling. He is the narrator of the story and provides a comical and irreverent perspective on the events that unfold.
Another important character is the protagonist's mother, who is a no-nonsense and practical woman. She is the voice of reason in the household and tries to keep the chaos in check, but is often thwarted by the antics of the other characters.
The protagonist's father is a gruff and grumpy man who is prone to anger and frustration. He is a bit of a curmudgeon and often complains about the antics of the other characters, but ultimately cares deeply for his family.
The protagonist's sister, Mary, is a teenage girl who is described as being "slightly plump" and prone to tantrums. She is a bit of a drama queen and often gets caught up in the chaos of the household.
The family's maid, Mrs. Foster, is a hardworking and reliable woman who tries to keep the household running smoothly. She is often the target of the protagonist's pranks and mischief, but remains patient and good-natured.
Overall, the characters in The Night the Bed Fell are a comical and eccentric group, each with their own quirks and flaws. Together, they create a chaotic and entertaining atmosphere that makes for a humorous and memorable story.
The Night the Bed Fell Characters
Briggs poured camphor on himself because he thought that he was suffocating and everyone was trying to bring him out. In either case, the writing style remains the same, encouraging a merging of fiction and nonfiction in the reader's mind. We had visiting us at this time a nervous first cousin of mine named Briggs Beall, who believed that he was likely to cease breathing when he was asleep. We had visiting us at this time a nervous first cousin of mine named Briggs Beall, who believed that he was likely to cease breathing when he was asleep. In July 1951, after a quarter century of best-selling books, James Thurber was featured on the cover of Time magazine. This causes the pieces of the puzzle to fit together and all the confusion to be resolved. It was his feeling that if he were not awakened every hour during the night, he might die of suffocation.
List each character in “The Night the Bed Fell” by James Thurber and identify the strange characteristics (or paranoia) that he or she possesses.
He tested me the first night—which I had suspected he would—by holding his breath after my regular breathing had convinced him I was asleep. We later heard ominous creakings as he crawled into bed. . Please take it and do not use your chloroform, as this is all I have. The incidents are recounted calmly, but a sense of immediacy, of actually being present and observing the action, is pervasive. I have a problem. Grandfather, who usually slept in the attic bed when he was with us, had disappeared some days before.
The Night the Bed Fell Themes
His eyesight had been steadily deteriorating from a childhood game of William Tell, when his brother shot a toy arrow into his left eye, which had to be removed; his other eye was infected as well. My mother began to weep when she saw him. Some nights she threw them all, some nights only a couple of pairs. The tone of the story is also nostalgic overall, as the narrator looks back to a time of when family members odd or otherwise assembled together, and looked out for each other, even if the events of this particular night are cast in a humorous light. Gale Cengage 2001 eNotes. It was his feeling that if he were not awakened every hour during the night, he might die of suffocation.
The Night the Bed Fell
The tales in My Life and Hard Times 1933 convey a sense of nostalgia as the author reminisces about family life in a quieter, simpler, purer time and place. The narrator is usually somewhat heroic and at the same time the butt of the humor. He slept in my room and I told him that I was such a light sleeper that if anybody quit breathing in the same room with me, I would wake instantly. The audience shares the thoughts, concerns, and even many of the experiences embodied in his characters and the circumstances in which they are placed, and the seriousness of the situation is alleviated by Thurber's humorous approach to his material. We continuously strive to update our course as and when the curriculum is updated, but there might be times when we lag behind. Whether or not they actually happened as recounted, is debatable, as Thurber was given to embroidering these personal reminiscences of his past.
