Reading Guide to The Fifth Child

The novel has no chapter breaks, so I have indicated the point at which you should stop on each page by a line of text.Read each section and prepare for discussion:Reading #1 Pages 3-17: opening to “It was 1966.”1. Characterize David. Characterize Harriet. List their characteristics in separate columns. What kind of relationship do they want? How would you describe the world they want?2. Is the world the Lovatts want attractive to you? Why or why not?3. Pay particular attention to the scene in the bedroom on p. 10. What does this scene suggest about the Lovatts?4. Write down the metaphor of the garden, the cave, and the kingdom used in this section. What do these metaphors suggest?Reading # 2 Pages 17-31: to 31 (bottom) “...what they had so plentifully.”5. List the details of Harriet’s four pregnancies.6. List the details of the births of the Lovatts’ first four children. 7. What pattern emerges from these details? How would you characterize the pregnancies? the births?8. Code for all references to the outside world. For example, on p. 22 (bottom): “Outside this fortunate place, their family, beat and battered the storms of the world. The easy times had utterly gone.” What contrasts do such references set up?9. Explain this line (p. 21 bottom): “Happiness. A happy family. The Lovatts were a happy family. It was what they had chosen and what they deserved.”Reading # 3 Page 31-50: to bottom of page:10. List all the details of Harriet’s fifth pregnancy. How do those details characterize the pregnancy? What do you think are the most significant details around the pregnancy? Why?11. How does Harriet feel about the fifth pregnancy? Pay particular attention to the passage about “the hidden being” on the bottom of p. 41.12. How does David feel?13. How do you account for Dr. Brett’s reaction to Harriet’s situation?14. Pay particular attention to the account of Ben’s birth on p. 48 and to his physical description on pp. 48-49. What do these details suggest about him?15. How do Harriet and David react to Ben? How do others?Reading # 4 Pages 51-67: to “What was he?”16. How does Ben affect the family?17. How do the different family members react to Ben? Be specific with each child and with each adult.18. How do the family members characterize Ben in this section? Be specific with each child and with each adult.19. How would you characterize him? Is there another way to see him?This is important: Keep track of the language people use to say what Ben is.Reading # 5 Pages 67-90: to “And so things went back to normal...”20. What do the Lovatts see as their choices about Ben? Why do they decide to do what they do?21. Do you agree or disagree with their decision? What do you see as their choices? What would you do?

22. What makes Harriet do what she does? Do you think she was right?

23. Pay particular attention to the description on pp. 81-82. What is the metaphoric significance of the scene?

Keep track of the language people use to say what Ben is.

Reading # 6 Pages 90-107: to the bottom of page:

24. How does Harriet’s act affect the family? In particular, how does her decision affect her relationship with David? with Ben?

25. Characterize John’s relationship with Ben.

26. Characterize Ben as we see him in this section.

27. What does it mean that “the Authorities” continue to deny the reality of Ben?

Keep track of the language people use to say what Ben is.

Reading # 7 Pages 107-conclusion:

28. How would you characterize Ben in this section?

29. How does David “explain” Ben? How does Harriet?

30. Do you agree or disagree with their explanations?

31. What do you think the novel says about human nature?

32. What does Harriet conclude about the nature of Ben? What do you conclude?

33. What does the novel suggest is likely to happen to Ben? What do you think is likely to happen?

34. At the end of the novel, review the metaphors of the garden, the cave, and the kingdom. What does each suggest?