In A Handful of Dust
1. Why is it pointless to have a great house like Hatton, according to Lady Brenda? Why does she hanker after other people? (Answer)
2. What does Lord Last appear to prize even more than Lady Brenda? (Answer)
3. How often does Lady Brenda wear white? What is Kristin's tally at this point? (Answer)
4. What did son John Andrew call his nanny? (Answer)
5. What is the significance of Lady Brenda's lines "What's ____________? And what's he coming for? (Answer)
6. How does Beaver react to his bed at Hatton? The next morning, Lady Brenda asks him "Did you ________ well?" And Beaver replies "I'm not a very good _________ ." And Lady Brenda says "Although, I dare say, you won't ever ________ again." (Are these Waugh euphemisms, do you think?) (Answer)
7. Why does Lady Brenda (Kristin?) look like she wants a cigarette in that train car to London? (Answer)
8. During the massage, why does Brenda say that she does not like parties? But she will go "if I can find someone to _________ me." Why do we never see her dance? (Answer)
9. Lady Brenda describes Mr. Beaver as "cold as a ______ ." (Answer)
10. What do you think are Lady Brenda's peculiar motivations for stepping out on a perfectly nice husband for a fling with Mr. Beaver? (Answer)
11. What are all of those fox furs doing around Lady Brenda's neck? (Answer)
12. Beaver's mother comments that Lady Brenda could use a flat in Belgrave-somewhere to ___________ and ____________ ." What are the dangers of a woman having a pied a terre in town? (Answer)
13. What particularly interests Lady Brenda about the Belgrave flat-"the very last word in American ____________ ." (And what is the Pompatus of Love reference here?) (Answer)
14. What won't Brenda let Mr. Beaver do on their first date--until they get in a taxi? (What is it about Kristin and those taxis? See taxi references under The English Patient) (Answer)
15. What will Brenda give up at Hatton in order to have her flat in Belgrave? (two things, when you think about it) (Answer)
16. What role does Tony play at the family Christmas performance? (I was sure Waugh had something in mind there, so I looked up II Kings 24) (Answer)
17. What is Lady Brenda's New Year's resolution? And why is she so keen on economics? (Answer)
18. When Tony gets tight at the club:
19. What does Lady Brenda always keep in her handbag? (Answer)
20. What is Tony's and Brenda's ritual at the hothouse on Sundays? (Answer)
21. What is Lady Brenda stroking on her husband in bed as they discuss Mr. Beaver? (Answer)
22. Brenda says of Tony that he "is not to _______ . That is one of the things that are not allowed." (Answer)
23. What is the accident that occurs and changes the Last family fortunes forever? At what event? (Answer)
24. A fortune teller describes the men who dominate Lady Brenda. Name the types, and which one is the most interesting to Brenda? (Answer)
25. What game does Jock's American floozy--Mrs. Ratlery--play with Tony while waiting for the vicar to arrive and Lady Brenda to come home to Hatton? (Answer)
26. What is the unforgivable response that Brenda murmurs when she is told by Jock that is was her young son, rather than her lover, who has been killed? (Answer)
27. Why can't Lady Brenda stay at Hatton after the funeral? Name three reasons. (Answer)
28. Where does Tony go to set up a compromising situation to help Brenda with the divorce? Whom does the partner bring along who complicates the arrangement? Why does this make Tony miss John Andrew? (Answer)
29. Why does Tony change his mind about the divorce settlement? What sacrifice does Brenda ask Tony to make in order to finalize the divorce? (Answer)
30. What organization can't Dr. Messinger get to cooperate on his expedition to South America? (Hint: there's another TEP reference here) (Answer)
31. What does Dr. Messinger offer the natives to take Tony and him into the jungle? What does one native woman prefer? (reference Fiona in FWAAF, Lady B in train car, and Kristin in an interview at a Paris bistro) What finally makes the natives run away? (Answer)
32. What does Lady Brenda need to hold down while waiting for the divorce? (Answer)
33. Which author should you be besotted with if you are stuck in the jungle with Mr. Todd? Precisely how long does it take to read this particular writer's complete works? (Answer)
34. How does Mr. Todd ensure that Tony stays to fulfill his promise to read to him? (Answer)
35. What does Lady Brenda find herself doing alone while waiting for Tony's return from South America? Name four things. (Answer)
36. Why does the caretaker at Hatton show Lady Brenda a caged fox at the end of the film? (Answer)
