December 12-16

"The Jewels" by Guy de Maupassant

1. Madame Lantin is the key character in "The Jewels," yet we are told scarcely anything about her--not even her first name. However, from the few details that Maupassant does provide, we are given some clues to help us understand her personality. Describe your vision of Madame Lantin. What does she look like? How does she behave? Would you be a friend to her? Discuss.

2. Would you forgive someone who had disappointed or betrayed you, if you ultimately benefited from his or her behavior? Explain.

"How Much Land Does a Man Need?" by Leo Tolstoy

1. In "How Much Land Does a Man Need?" Tolstoy presents us with an allegory, a story that has both a literal and a symbolic meaning. Discuss the symbolism of Tolstoy's story.

2. Discuss how the desire to have material goods and status in nineteenth-century Russia and in twenty-first-century America are comparable.

3. Have you ever "grasped too much and ruined the whole affair"--that is, lost something because you were too ambitious? Can you think of examples of people from current events, history, or other fictional stories who have failed by being greedy or attempting too much?

December 5-9

Pride and Prejudice

1. What was your favorite "connection" we read in class? Discuss.

2. Mr. Bennett, though troubled and angry over Lydia's behavior, "naturally returned to all his former indolence" and finally allows the family to receive the newlyweds at Longbourn. Do you agree with the relative lack of punishment Lydia receives from her father, or from the other characters, in light of her actions?

3. Identify a dyanmic character from the novel. Explain. Identify a static character from the novel. Explain.

4. Do you like narrative structure that uses letters between characters to reveal information about other characters and advance the action of the plot? Discuss.