The Adventures of Roderick Random

第二章

This chapter chronicles the narrator’s difficult childhood, encompassing early familial hostility, restricted access to his grandfather, neglected schooling, maltreatment by his master, and paradoxically how adversity fueled his academic progress. The narrative follows his organization of schoolboy cabals against his persecutor, relentless harassment by his grandfather’s heir, and concludes with his violent retribution against the tutor.

Early Familial Hostility

The narrator’s cousins developed implacable hatred toward him, particularly as his infancy showed promise and he strongly resembled his beloved father. Suspicions existed that his uncles may have been involved in his father’s fate, motivated by inheritance concerns, though those suspicions were treated as speculation by judicious observers.

Restricted Grandfather Access

Before reaching six years of age, the narrator’s cousins had so effectively blockaded access to his grandfather that he could only see him by stealth—occasionally approaching his chair when the old man supervised his laborers in the field. During these brief encounters, his grandfather would stroke his head, encourage him to be good, and promise to take care of him.

Neglected Schooling

The narrator was sent to a village school where his grandfather held influence, but the grandfather never paid for his board or supplied clothes, books, or other necessaries. His condition became ragged and contemptible, and the schoolmaster, teaching him gratis for fear of his grandfather, gave no concern about his progress—yet despite these difficulties, the narrator became proficient in Latin.