Anglais, dialogue

Sketch:

Excuse me, I guess you’re an Irish immigrant ?

Yeah, I just arrived.

What’s your name ?

My name’s Murphy O’Brien

Hello Murphy O’Brien, I’m Oliver from the New York times and I’d like to ask you some questions if that’s all right with you ?

Yeah, no problem        

First, how are you?

Hello ! I don’t feel very well but everything all rights, thanks ! And you ?

Fine ! Where are you from?

I come from Cork, a small village in Ireland. I lived there with my wife and my two children, but they stayed in Ireland.

Why did you decide to immigrate?

I made the decision to leave my village because there was too much poverty. I could not bear not being able to feed my family. I'm the head of the family and it's up to me to take the first step. I decided to immigrate to look for a better future.

Why in America?

In Ireland, people talked about a country where we would make fortune. Moreover, most people I know, went to America.

How did you come?

I first sold a lot of things I owned to make some money, then I bought to my friends Jack a ticket for a boat to New-York. It was very expensive.

What problems did you encounter during the trip?

The trip was very difficult. We live in fear permanently. The way of life is very painful. We are thirsty, hungry, and exhausted. In the hold of the boat, we were all crammed, and some were seasick.

During the trip did you want to turn around?

Yes, but every time I thought about it I thought again about my family, it was for them that I did it. And being with other immigrants that are Irish during the trip was reassuring.

What’s your first impression of America ?

America is very beautiful, plenty of buildings everywhere, nice weather !

Where will you settle?

I think I’ll go to Ashland, near Boston, where my brother Andrew lives. He is a farmer.

Okay, thanks for the small interview. We wish you all the best for your future and good luck !

(after the interview)

Millions of Irish like Murphy are arriving here in New-York and in every east coast city. They mostly leave Ireland because of the famine and the poverty that they’re meeting right now. It’s because of the “curl”, a parasite that destroys potatoes fields. In fact, the Irish consummation is mainly made of potatoes. Irish farmer production is stopped and so English out cast them out of Ireland because they can’t pay them the rent.

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