A Story         Dylan Thomas

 ‘A Story’ is a humorous account of the adult’s world presented from the point of view of a boy. It is written by Wels poet, Dylan Thomas. It is about an outing to a place called Porthcawl with a great deal of comic activities. As it is a plot-less story, one tends to conclude that it is not a story proper, but a jumble of various people. The readers think so because all the characters appear to play casual role without any significance in it. The writer appears to be more interested in depicting them as caricatures than the lively characters. The story simply reads like a humorous commentary of the narrator about a trip.
According to the story, certain members of a club decide to go on an outing to Porthcawl. They plan to collect money for the trip. This responsibility is given to Mr. Franklyn who happens to be a new treasurer. Will sentry is assigned the task of following Mr. Benjamin Franklyn as a precaution to prevent him from drinking the outing funds. It is the step taken as the result of committee’s funds being misused by the former treasurer, Bob the Fiddle for his drinks. Mr. Franklyn complains against Will Sentry and admits that he has been sick and tired of being followed by Will Sentry. He also informs that he has collected enough money for the charabanc and twenty cases of pale le. The narrator’s uncle seems to be the dominant figure in the committee.
The narrator as a boy describes his Uncle Thomas and aunt with humorous vein. The uncle happens to be quite big and trumpeting, filling every inch of the hot little house like an old buffalo in a small cupboard. On the contrary, she is found to be quite small. She has to stand on a chair while hitting him with a China dog. Other characters are equally humorous.
On Saturday, the charabanc sets for the Porthcawl. After having got out of the village and up the hill toward Steeplehat Wood, Mr. Franklyn notices that one of them is missing in the bus. It is old O. Jones. So they have to drive back to the village to pick him up. Mr. Weazley wants the bus to be stopped because he has left his teeth on the mantelpiece. However, he is ignored. Instead, it is stopped outside the public house, the Mountain Sheep, which is a bar. They spend more than forty-five minutes, drinking wine, breaking glasses, hollering, and rollicking in the bar. After that, they got out of it and move ahead. The charabanc passes along the road while stopping before every bar for drinks. Till the dusk comes down, the journey continues in the same manner. On the way home, they stopped the bus in the field while the moon is seen in the sky. Thus the outing comes to an end without ever reaching Porthcawl.
Although it is a plot-less story, it is made interesting because of the humorous touch given to the characters. Therefore, one tends to say that ‘A Story’ is not a story proper, but a jumble of various people.
Important Questions from A Story by Dylan Thomas
Short Answer Questions
1. What is the reason for which Will Sentry always followed Mr. Franklyn? [2058] 2. How does the boy, the narrator, look at his uncle and his aunt? [2059]

3. Describe the relation between Thoman (the boy’s uncle) and his wife. [2060, 2062, 2063, 2067, 2069] 4. The plan was to go to Porthcawl for the outing. Did they ever reach there? Why? [2064] 5. Give a description of the outing as Thomas would describe it. [2066] 6. Give a short description of the Boy’s uncle. [2068]
Glossary: [Wels: City of Austria, caricature: funny description or acting of someone, vein: same style of speaking or writing, trumpeting: make a loud sound as of trumpet, charabanc: bus or public vehicle usually carrying many passengers, mantelpiece: the self above a fireplace in a living room, hollering: shouting loudly, rollicking: amusing, dusk: evening time when it starts to become dark]