● “Isobel wondered...who were the people who caused concern in Mrs Pendergast and humorous resignation in Mrs Bowers.”

● “The enemy of sex and marriage”

2)      Isobel first finds solace in Mrs Bower’s strangeness, giving her the effect that she wasn’t the only one considered weird. 

3)      At first, Isobel feels “uneasiness” when confronted with Mr Bower’s affection. 

·         “This roused conflicting feelings: warmth and gratitude-It was astonishing to be remembered- but uneasiness, because felt more return than she could give” (page 82)

She slowly begins to dislike her more after the news of Madge’s fiancé, partly due to the way she views her daughter’s own choices (Page 108.)

4)      Isobel finds Mrs Bower’s views of men, much like her reactions to Arthur (Madge’s fiancé) to be interesting.

·         “Mrs Bowers came to the kitchen wearing a meek, silly look and gazed him with wonder” (page 106)

5)      Throughout Mrs Bower’s anger, Isobel learns about the importance of social contact and making the right moves to get her way.

6)      Bowers makes Isobel feel the influence of her own mother, making her realise that the real word does contain possessive people. This is due to how Isobel takes over Madge’s role when she leaves the boarding house with Arthur, making Isobel the only source of a daughter to Mrs Bowers.

7)      Bowers is used as an indicator of the harshness of the real world as she slowly turns into another version of Mrs Callaghan to Isobel. However unlike Mrs Callaghan, this is due to favourism and not anger (Much like Mrs C and Margret in chapter 3).

·         “Mrs Bowers appeared at the kitchen door, looking angry. Angry had engraved its history on Mrs Bowers face; when the lines it made there came alive, the effect was frightening” (page 118)

Olive 

Rita

Nel

Frank

Mr Walter

Mr Richard

Tim & Norman

Madge
Betty

Mrs Bowers

Mrs Prendergast

Mr Watkins

Mitch

Nick

Kenneth

Janet

 

Trevor

 

Diana

2. Isobel liked how Nick presented as confused and embarrassed about certain things just like her. “Isobel looking with wonder at the back of Nick’s head, picturing the beautiful calm face which hid vulnerability, confusion and helplessness.” (pg. 112)

3. Isobel dislikes how Nick treated Diana after he dumped her. This is mostly caused from seeing firsthand how much he was hurting Diana by avoiding her, and not agreeing to talk to her when she was having such a hard time. She also resented the fact that she became the messenger between them when it didn’t involve her. “I’m a messenger, Isobel thought with resentment. I’m supposed to tell Nick she’s lost her job.” (pg.126)

4. Isobel finds it interesting that Nick doesn’t always hang out with their group, he likes being alone. “Nick wasn’t there, but Nick was never really there. He was the charming exile.” (pg.132)

5. Nick’s death allows her to realise that she can grieve, she has the right to feel sad about his death like the others because they WERE friends. “She was fighting off the shameful thought that grief was a terrible bore. Perhaps it wasn’t such a shameful thought – grief might be like that.” (pg.141)

6. Nick teaches Isobel a lot about relationships. She learns that they don’t always work out, no matter how in love one of them is. Nick’s actions towards Diana also gives Isobel some insight into how men behave, especially in relationships, which was always an unfamiliar topic for Isobel.

7. Nick’s death is the major event that changes the dynamics of the group and allow Isobel to become more involved with the others and allows her to recognise feelings of grief, sadness, friendship, love and the power of group support.

Q1) When Isobel first see’s Diana she describes her as ‘beautiful, except for the obsessed eyes’ (P.113) 

Q2) Isobel admires Diana’s beauty. “Isobel was frightened by Diana’s plight, and amazed that beauty had not saved her.”  (PG.113)

Q3) Isobel says, “She’s a corpse all right with the flies buzzing round her, and she hears them buzzing, though she’s dead.” (PG.126)

Q4) What Isobel finds interesting about Diana is when she explains ‘She pitied Diana but was curious too. She wanted to know what is was like. She felt about Diana as she had felt about children who got the cane at the convent; they knew what it was like.” (PG.111) she also said, “She sounded quite belligerent. Interesting. Here was someone freeble enough to bring out the bully in Isobel.” (PG.127)

Q5) Isobel sees herself in Diana which helps her learn more about herself. When Diana is told about Nick’s death Isobel says, “The feeling was appearing now: relief. Isobel was the prison governor who had brought her news of her reprieve.” (PG.140). She realizes this was the same reaction she had about her mother. “She’s glad he’s dead. She feels the way I felt when my mother died. He wasn’t a human being to her, he was a thorn in her side, a stone in her shoe.” (PG.140).

Q6) 

Q7) Diana and her relationship with Nick was sort of a reflection of Isobel and her mother’s relationship but in different contexts they both were desperate for love from people who weren’t going to give it to them.