The seventh key

Author: (USA) Jones
Publisher:
Publish Date: 1983-03-01
Features: The Seventh Key is a five-act short play. Before his death, Uncle Edward called his only relatives, his two nephews, Nicholas and Alan, to his bedside. His lawyer gave each of them a key. Uncle Edward instructed that whoever could find seven keys within a week would inherit the estate. As Nicholas and Alan were about to ask for more details, Uncle Edward suddenly passed away. They had no choice but to return home in disappointment. Upon arriving home, they received a recording machine each from a delivery person. Following the instructions on the tape, Nicholas and Alan began their tense search for the keys. Uncle Edward's meticulous and clever arrangement was primarily to test the intelligence and perseverance of his nephews. Therefore, the clues were often obscure, and most of the keys were hidden in famous historical sites, requiring archaeological exploration to find them. Alan and his girlfriend were not afraid of the difficulties and finally succeeded through their extensive visits. Alan inherited the estate and secured a job at a newspaper office. In the end, he happily married his girlfriend. Meanwhile, Nicholas and his wife Martha preferred not to put in the effort and resorted to shortcuts, resulting in nothing. The play teaches people that to achieve success, one must make tremendous efforts; without thinking or working hard, simply following others and enjoying the fruits of their labor will lead to nothing. However, it also exposes the social of a capitalist society where money is valued and human relationships are shallow; in the pursuit of the inheritance, the brothers grew apart, suspecting and doubting each other. The language of this book is simple and can be used as extracurricular reading material for lower-level students in colleges and universities.