Turna Elmaci

Homework 3 

 

In the context of the extract from TB's political memoirs what is meant by the proverbial dog with a bone?

 

The proverb "dog with a bone" depicts a dog which won't give up his bone no matter which danger it has to face. The dog will defend it and nibble at it and try to remove every piece of meat. This proverb describes very clearly that stubbornness and persistence can lead to a favorable and beneficial result if applied under any circumstances and in knowledge of the consequence positive or negative.

In his political memoirs Tony Blair explains that not only his ambitions helped Tony Blair to become the historic person he is now but also the people who he has met in his past and who played a leading role in forming his character and directing his ambitions. One of these people Tony Blair mentions in his political memoirs is Derry Irvine who was his pupil master and later under him the Lord Chancellor in Blair's period being in office. Tony Blair says that he learnt many important lessons while working under Derry Irvine. The word he uses to describe Derry's attitudes facing legal issues is the proverb "the dog with a bone". Irvine's persistence and stubbornness lead to a successful completion of legal cases because Irvine didn't give up finding ways to solve the issues under any circumstances. Tony Blair says "He (Irvine) would gnaw at it, examine it, turn it over, bury it, dig it up, step back and stare at it".

Tony Blair states in his political memoirs that working under Irvine gave him important impulses how to form his attitude working as a barrister and as a politician. Moreover, that it can lead to success.

Tony Blair can look back to an impressive and successful political career being the former Prime Minister of the U.K. though he started as a barrister apprentice with an intensive work performance he still could pursue his political ambitions by participating in his local party and writing political articles.