end of term 2nd year english

End of Term Chapter 4 English 2nd Year

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In “End of Term,” David Daiches reflects on his experiences as a schoolboy and the relief he felt when the weekend arrived. Despite enjoying classroom work, the daily grind of school, homework, and fierce competition weighed heavily on him.

The anticipation of the school day, especially on Mondays, was a dismal experience. Daiches vividly describes the morning ritual of his maid announcing “Lionel, David, Sylvia-time,” signaling the start of the school day. While he didn’t recall being unhappy in class, the oppressive feeling of a full day’s school lingered throughout his childhood.

The turning point came when he entered university, where the fewer classes and the freedom of students created a new academic world. Daiches contrasts the dreary anticipation of school days with the joy of waking up on Thursdays, knowing the end of the week was near. Fridays, with their last period carrying a special happy flavor, marked the beginning of the weekend.

The relief of walking home on a Friday afternoon, regardless of assigned homework, was compared to the tread of an escaped prisoner. Friday nights, with two days before school resumed, were the best of the week. Saturdays had a different pleasantness, still distant from Monday, while Sunday nights carried the looming threat of the upcoming school week.

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