Discussion the story A moment of madness of Thomas Hardy (retold by Clare West) FFL IUH

BOOKWORM CLUB GOLD: STORIES FOR READING CIRCLES (EDITOR: MARK FURR)

THOMAS HARDY

A MOMENT
OF
MADNESS
R E T O L D BY C L A R E W E S T


I. THE AUTHOR.

- An English novelist and poet.
- Birthplace: Stinsford, England.
- His poems was published first in his fifties.
- With Tess of the d'Urbervilles and Far from
the Madding Crowd, he earned a reputation as
a great novelist.
- He won prizes from the Royal Institute of
British Architects and the Architectural
Association.

THOMAS HARDY (1840 –
1928)


II. A MOMENT OF MADNESS
- Written by Thomas Hardy, retold by Clare
West. A moment of madness is excerpted from
The Three Strangers and Other Stories.

III. READING CIRCLE ROLES
A. Discussion Leader
Questions:
1. Who is the main character of this story?
=> Baptista Trewthen
2. What is her age and job?
=> She is a 21-year-old teacher.
3. What do you think about the reasons why she decide to quit her job?
=> Not have enough courage to quit job, use the reason "marrying Mr. David
Heddegan" to strengthen her decision.
4. What surprised you at the marriage of her and Charles Stow?
=> She met him in Pen-zephyr, started a conflict, then they became husband and
wife in Trufal. Everything happened in 4 days.
5. Why was she not brave enough to tell her story?
=> Because this is the first time in life she had gone against her parent’s
wishes and she hadn’t prided herself to tell it.


III. READING CIRCLE ROLES
A. Discussion Leader
6.How did you feel when she saw the hat on the back of the door in
the in the hotel room? Why?
=> Surprised and shocked. It demonstrated that Charles was
here, and she knew exactly he didn’t stay alive.
7. Why did David Heddegan dance happily around round after he
had heard her confession?
=> Because they were in the same boat and they always
struggle themselves to tell the truth or not.

III. READING CIRCLE ROLES
B. Summarizer

My key points
1. Main events:








2. CHARACTER:
Baptista is a woman who left
her job as a teacher to marry
husband because she didn't
like it.

David is a rich man, he is
also future husband of
Baptista.


2. CHARACTER:
Charles is a man who loves
Baptista so much and he has
been waiting for Baptista a
long time to be able to marry

with her.
Mr and Mrs Trewthen are
Baptista’s parents


2. CHARACTER:

Wace is
Baptista's
landlady

Workman is a
witness of
Baptista and
Charles’s wedding

The young girl in
hotel
(receptionist)