Far from the Madding Crowd book club questions
by Thomas Hardy · a kit for three meetings · 15 questions · printable
Fifteen discussion questions for Far from the Madding Crowd, grouped by three stretches of the book of about the same length, with a reading plan, themes to talk about and a sheet you can print. Two good openers: what does Bathsheba owe Mr. Boldwood after sending the valentine, and what does she not owe him? And how should Gabriel weigh honest advice against respect for Bathsheba's authority?
The reading plan
Meeting 1
Chapters 1 to 21
About 3 h 5 min to read
Meeting 2
Chapters 22 to 40
About 2 h 53 min to read
Meeting 3
Chapters 41 to 57
About 3 h 5 min to read
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Meeting 1: Chapters 1 to 21
- What does Bathsheba owe Mr. Boldwood after sending the valentine, and what does she not owe him?
- How should Gabriel weigh honest advice against respect for Bathsheba's authority?
- Does Bathsheba's personal appeal to Gabriel suggest changed judgment, practical need, or both?
- How much blame should a person bear for encouragement they never intended to give?
- What expectations does Gabriel's response to losing his livelihood create about how he will face future setbacks?
Meeting 2: Chapters 22 to 40
- How does mixing danger with deception affect your judgment of Mr. Troy's courtship?
- Where would you draw the line between offering hope and making a promise in Bathsheba's response to Mr. Boldwood?
- How should we weigh Mr. Boldwood's hurt against Bathsheba's right to refuse him?
- What does Bathsheba's secret journey suggest about the limits of her independence?
- Does Gabriel's refusal of Mr. Troy's gift seem more like pride, self-respect, or protest?
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Meeting 3: Chapters 41 to 57
- When does trying to spare someone pain become denying them a choice?
- How much weight should we give Mr. Troy's care for Fanny Robin's grave when judging his remorse?
- What does repairing Fanny Robin's grave suggest about Bathsheba's response to suffering?
- How should uncertainty about Mr. Troy affect what Mr. Boldwood can fairly ask of Bathsheba?
- What do the different expectations for the Christmas party reveal about the risks of treating hope as agreement?
Themes to talk about
Tips for the host
- Open each meeting with one question everyone can answer, then go deeper.
- Anyone who fell behind can catch up with the 15-minute summary.
Free for 3 months
Get the full summary of Loin de la foule déchaînée, free
- 200,000+ classics as eBooks, audiobooks and 15-minute summaries, and print and large print at cost
- Up to 5 readers in your home on one plan
15-minute summaries today, eBooks and audiobooks as each book opens, and printed books, large print included, at cost.
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