The Verger - Case Study

THE VERGER by W. Somerset Maugham 1. What is the kind of behaviour of the verger in the first part of the story? Give examples The first part of the story presents the verger as a compliant man, anxious to exercise his profession in the best way possible. The care with which he maintains his clothes shows all his hard work and dedication. Still, the verger remains a humble and simple man who enjoys the simple pleasures of life, like a glass of beer with his dinner. 2. Would you qualify him as an entrepreneur? Why? In the beginning the verger does not appear as a man to whom we would lend qualities of an entrepreneur. It is not risky to be verger of St Peter, so in sixteen years he never thought to question himself. Furthermore, Church Ministry professions do not necessarily match with the idea we can have of what would be entrepreneur activities. However, it is clear that after his dismissal he has managed to create a successful business from scratch and without even knowing how to read and write. Then one can consider that the verger is not only an entrepreneur but also a talented and successful one. 3. What was his method to find his idea? The idea that transformed the verger a rich entrepreneur was not written in a newspaper article (which would have allowed the first well-read player to become a rich man). It probably was not taught in the school where the new vicar was educated (otherwise the vicar would have resigned and asked the verger to stay verger). Or maybe it was God himself who had decided to thank the verger for his sixteen years of dedicated work! Or maybe not… The method that allowed the verger to find his idea is that he has successfully reinvented himself. The shock he suffered in his dismissal challenged him to think differently. During all the years he served the ministry and he provided an exemplary job, the verger was a compliant worker. Maybe he thought it was the best way to a reliable living, but the fundamental shift happened and the game