Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- What exactly do you think causes Paul's death? Are any of the othercharacters in some way responsible for his death?
- Do you think Oscar and Bassett were right to encourage Paul to keepbetting? Why or why not?
- Do you think Hester loves her son? Are there moments in the story whenshe seems more sympathetic than others? How would explain the way her feelings towards Paul change (or don't change) throughout course of the story?
- In How To Read Like a Professor, Thomas C. Foster suggests that Paul's rocking horse is actually a metaphor for masturbation. Not too far a stretch if you take into consideration that D. H. Lawrence is perhaps best known for Lady Chatterly's Lover, a novel that was banned for years because of its sex scenes. What do you think?