1. Meg, the Mansfields' servant, says that she is kind to Smith because her mother has always told her to "follow her heart." How is her motivation different from Mr. Mansfield's? What rules of behavior does he follow?

2. In the novel's opening chapter, London is seen in part from the perspective of the birds who perch on the roof of St.

Paul's Cathedral. Why is this an effective way of setting the scene?

3. How is Mr. Mansfield's blindness an advantage to Smith? How is it a disadvantage?

4. A single incident often marks a change of fortune for a character. When Smith is brought to Mr. Mansfield's house, his layers of clothing are taken away and burned, and he is scrubbed to remove the layers of grime. How does this incident and the description of Smith after the bath suggest that his life is about to...