You Are Now Entering The Human Heart
You Are Now Entering The Human Heart
You Are Now Entering The Human Heart
by Janet Frame
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ENGL 53: Eleventh Grade English Part 2
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You Are Now Entering the Human Heart
herself and no doorman, and everyone knew what happened then, and
how she’d be afraid to answer the door and to walk after dark and carry
her pocketbook in the street. There was enough to think about without
learning to handle and love the snakes, harmless and otherwise, by having
them draped around her neck for everyone, including the children—most
of all the children—to witness the outbreak of her fear.
“See, Miss Aitcheson’s touching the snake. She’s not afraid of it at all.”
As everyone watched, she touched the snake. Her fingers recoiled.
She touched it again.
“See, she’s not afraid. Miss Aitcheson can stand there with a beauti-
ful snake around her neck and touch it and stroke it and not be afraid.”
The faces of the children were full of admiration for the teacher’s
bravery, and yet there was a cruelly persistent tension; they were wait-
ing, waiting.
“We have to learn to love snakes,” the attendant said. “Would someone
like to come out and stroke teacher’s snake?”
Silence.
One shamefaced boy came forward. He stood petrified in front of the
teacher.
“Touch it,” the attendant urged. “It’s a friendly snake. Teacher’s wear-
ing it around her neck and she’s not afraid.”
The boy darted his hand forward, rested it lightly on the snake, and
immediately withdraw his hand. Then he ran to his seat. The children
shrieked with glee.
“He’s afraid,” someone said, “He’s afraid of the snake.”
The attendant soothed. “We have to get used to them, you know.
Grown-ups are not afraid of them, but we can understand that when
you’re small you might be afraid, and that’s why we want you to learn
to love them. Isn’t that right, Miss Aitcheson? Isn’t that right? Now who
else is going to be brave enough to touch teacher’s snake?”
Two girls came out. They stood hand in hand side by side and stared
at the snake and then at
Miss Aitcheson.
I wondered when the torture would end. The two little girls did not
touch the snake, but they smiled at it and spoke to it, and Miss Aitcheson
smiled at them and whispered how brave they were.
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ENGL 53: Eleventh Grade English Part 2