The Fifth Child

Students received copies of The Fifth Child and are expected to read through page 65 by Monday. Students also must complete the following 2 assignments by Monday: Doris Lessing’s The Fifth Child Vocabulary through page 43 Due Monday, October 21 1. top page.3 – obsolescent – 2. top 3 – fastidiousness – 3. top 3 – abstemiousness – 4. mid 3 – ornate - 5. mid 4 – judiciously – 6. mid 5 – matily – 7. mid 9 – capacious– 8. top 12 – commodious – 9. top 13 – annul – 10. top 13 – absolve – 11. mid 14 – parsimony – 12. bot 18 – progenitive – 13. top 20 – obstinacy – 14. top 22 – dolefully – 15. top 26 – facetious – 16. top 26 – histrionic – 17. bot. 36 – reticent – 18. mid 40 – jocular – 19. bot 41 – chimera – 20. bot 41 – borzoi – 21. bot 43 – peregrination – The Fifth Child Pgs 3-65 David and Harriet meet and marry 1. What is your first impression of Harriet? Provide examples for support. David? 2. What do we learn about Harriet’s and David’s backgrounds? In what way are their backgrounds important? 3. What kind of house do they buy? 4. How do David’s parents react to the house and the life they are dreaming of? 5. What does Harriet’s mother, Dorothy, think about their plans? 6. The whole family seems to be reacting negatively to their dream. Is it possible to detect the narrator’s attitude? Are Harriet and David able to live up to the dream so far? Four babies and family life 1966/67-73 7. What sort of family parties do they have? 8. What is Dorothy’s attitude to their lifestyle? 9. How does Harriet look upon her sister’s Down’s syndrome baby? 10. Harriet says, ”this is what everyone wants, really, but we’ve been brainwashed out of it.” James replies, ”You are quite wrong, Harriet. The opposite is true. People are brainwashed into believing family life is the best. But that’s the past.” – Do you agree with either of these statements? 11. What does the discussion about schools tell us about the characters? The fifth pregnancy 12. How does the new pregnancy affect Harriet’s and David’s relationship? Give examples. 13. Explain and comment on Dorothy’s reaction and the things she doesn’t say. 14. Describe the family’s reaction to Harriet’s pregnancy. 15. Pick out words and expressions used about the pregnancy, the fetus and Harriet’s reactions to it. What does the choice of words tell us about the pregnancy?