A Day’s Wait Summary

A day’s wait is a short story by Ernest Hemingway about a father and his son called Schatz.

The story starts with Schatz coming into the room. His demeanor shows he is feeling sick.

Even though his father examines him and tells him he is sick, the boy still insists he is all right.

When the doctor came, he said the boy was sick with influenza and took the boy’s temperature which was 102.

The doctor left medicines with instructions and said there was nothing to worry about if his temperature didn’t go above 104.

After the doctor had left, Schatz started acting strangely. First, he wouldn’t pay attention when his father tried to read to him. Second, he wouldn’t go to sleep at the usual time.

Later, his father decided to go out with the dog for a while after giving him the medicines. While he was out he shot two quails.

On his return the boy had refused to let anyone into his room. His father checked his temperature which was 102 and 4 tenths.

The boy finally asked his father, “About what time do you think I’m going to die?”

This question came as a surprise to his father who was wondering why the boy would say such a thing.

The boy then told his father that at school in France, the boys told him no one could live with 44 degrees and since he got 102, he was surely going to die.

His father then explained to him that the doctor’s thermometer and the one from school are different thermometers.

He further told him that on the doctor’s thermometer 98 was normal and on the one from school 37 was the normal.

Hearing this, he was now relaxed because he was convinced he was not going to die.

The next day he cried easily over things that were of no importance.

Thank you !

Themes in the story

1. Confusion can lead one to false conclusions.

2. In times of fear and anxiety, parents can be a source of strength and encouragement.

3. Asking questions for clarifications on issues can save one from a lot of pain.

4. Peer pressure has a strong effect on young ones.

Literary Devices

Some of the literary devices that can be found in the story are as follows:

Simile

…..he walked slowly as though it ached to move…….

…..it’s like miles and kilometres….

…..as if the bare trees were………

Alliteration

…I thought perhaps he was a little light-headed…….

Imagery

…It was a bright, cold day , the ground covered with a sleet that had frozen…..

Onomatopoea

……the red dog slipped and slithered…..

Some questions and answers

1. The Story A Day’s Wait was written by

Ans: Ernest Hemingway

2. Who is the hero in the story?

Ans: Schatz

3. What is a purgative?

Ans: A purgative helps one to empty one’s bowels easily.

4. What is covey of quail?

Ans: A family of quail

5. What disease was Schatz suffering from?

Ans: Influenza

6. How many medicines did the doctor give to Schatz?

Ans: Three medicines

7. What were the functions of the medicines?

Ans: To reduce fever

Ans: As a purgative

Ans: To overcome acidic conditions

8. How old was Schatz?

Ans: 9 years

9. According to the story, influenza is infectious. True/False

Ans: True

10. What time of the year did the story take place?

Ans: Winter

11. What was Schatz temperature when the doctor took it?

Ans: 102

12. Why did the doctor say there was nothing to worry about?

Ans: He felt that Schatz temperature was normal.

13. “It’s like mile and kilometres”. What literary device can be found in this statement?

Ans: Simile

14. Why did Schatz think he was going to die?

Ans: Schatz’s friends told him one couldn’t survive above 44 degrees.

15. The boy was said to be light-headed meaning…………..

Ans: He was feeling dizzy

16. According to the passage the germs of influenza can only exist in acidic conditions. True/False

Ans: True

17. What is the point of view of A day’s wait?

Ans: First person narrative

18. What lesson can readers learn from Schatz as a character?

Ans: Schatz kept things to himself rather than expressing his thoughts which would have saved him from a lot of anxiety.

19. Write two themes in the story.

A. Misinformation can lead to wrong decisions.

B. Peers have a lot of influence on young ones.

20. Identity two literary devices in the story.

A. Simile

B. Onomatopoea