Tess of the d'Urbervilles

1. What changes in Jack's behavior after he learns about his noble ancestry, and how do other people react to these changes?

2. Why does Jack immediately start acting like nobility instead of thinking practically about this information?

3. Why does Tess feel ashamed when her father rides through town drunk and singing about being a d'Urberville?

4. Angel Clare joins the May Day dance but doesn't choose Tess as his partner. What does this missed connection reveal about how we notice or overlook people?

5. What contrast does Tess experience when she comes home from the dance, and how does it affect her mood?

6. Why do Tess's parents abandon their responsibilities to go celebrate at the pub, and what pattern does this reveal?

7. What chain of events leads to Prince's death, and who bears responsibility for each link in that chain?

8. Why does Joan focus on the d'Urberville connection instead of protecting their current income source?

9. What warning signs does Tess notice about Alec, and why does she ignore them?

10. How does Tess's guilt about the horse make her vulnerable to manipulation?

11. What specific pressures does Tess's family use to convince her to take the job at the d'Urbervilles, and how does each one work on her emotions?

12. Why does Tess agree to go despite her clear reluctance and bad feelings about Alec? What makes it impossible for her to say no?

13. Why does Joan dress Tess up in fancy clothes when she's supposedly going to work? What does this tell us about Joan's real expectations?

14. How does the family's financial desperation change the way they see Tess? What role does the dead horse play in Tess's decision to go along with this plan?

15. How does Alec use the carriage ride to pressure Tess, and what does her response reveal about her character?