1. Part 4, Chapter 4 seems to imply that the Ashburnhams have been lying to Nancy about her family. Is it right for the Ashburnhams to keep Nancy Rufford's family history a secret?

2. Leonora accepts many of Captain Edward Ashburnham's affairs; however, Leonora does not accept Edward's affair with Florence Dowell. Why does Leonora especially disapprove of Edward's affair with Florence Dowell?

3. In Part 4, Chapter 1, what is John Dowell's motivation for blaming both Leonora Ashburnham and Florence Dowell for the downfall of the Ashburnham marriage and not Captain Edward Ashburnham?

4. Do you think Nancy is a good judge of character?

5. What must Nancy reject in order to make her decision to meet her mother in Glasgow?

6. How has Captain Edward Ashburnham changed since his youth?

7. In Part 3, Chapter 4, John Dowell describes many unfortunate circumstances that contributed to the downfall of the Ashburnham marriage. With John's sympathetic portrait of the Ashburnhams in mind, do you think unfortunate circumstances are to blame for the destruction of the Ashburnham marriage or are the Ashburnhams themselves to blame for its downfall?

8. Do you agree with John Dowell when he says that Captain Edward Ashburnham does not feel remorse?

9. Is Leonora Ashburnham a sympathetic character?

10. Why do you suppose Leonora Ashburnham never turned to her family for advice on her marriage?

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

The Good Soldier makes explicit comparisons between the awkwardness and unruliness of American life and the stately and opulent life of an English estate. Ford juxtaposes American culture and English culture not only by throwing the American Dowells and the English Ashburnhams together, but also by describing the generous and industrious eccentricities of Florence's Uncle John. Explain the role nationalism plays in The Good Soldier. In the essay consider the following:

1. Do the characters' nationalities cause conflict in the novel? If so, how?

2. Considering that Ford is English, does he show any biases? Does Ford accurately render American sensibilities or does he stereotype them?

Essay Topic 2

Address the question of John's feelings toward Edward. Why does John continually excuse Edward from judgment? Why does John place all the blame on Leonora Ashburnham and Florence Dowell for the novel's tragedies? Does John so esteem Edward because he is jealous of Edward, because he is in love with Edward, or simply because he is biased toward women?

Essay Topic 3

What is the overall message behind The Good Soldier?

(see the answer keys)

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