In discussing this novel, one should keep in mind the importance of setting: the special significance of Jeanie's moral choice and Effie's dilemma, among other matters, can be found largely in terms of the time and place of the action. Some background on the situation in Scotland after the Act of Union and the Stuart rebellions would be useful and worthy of comment. While no plot takes place in a vacuum, the cultural and historical surroundings of The Heart of Midlothian are particularly relevant to a clear appreciation of the book.

1. Do you agree with Dorothy Van Ghent that the moral problem that Jeanie faces—"to lie to save a life, or not to lie"— is "a problem of no trivial interest" and, "because of a loss of a common moral code" in today's society, "is a question of potentially profound interest for the...