Absalom Day's Promotion study guide

Global Literature Name:___________________
Australia
Price Warung – “Absalom Day’s Promotion”
This is a tough story but you can do it with some guidance. Read these questions before you begin reading so you know the purpose of your reading.

1. What bell is being heard at the start of the story? Why is it different than the normal bell?


2. What about the bell has created a “Madness of fever” in the veins of the people?



3. Why is the execution almost stopped? Why does the sheriff decide to go ahead with the large execution anyway? (What does he want to achieve?)



4. Why does the executioner quit?




5. Why does the Sheriff refuse to execute the prisoners himself?



6. Discuss the main character’s conflict. What arguments does Absalom Day use to support his decision to execute all convicts?




7. What decision would you have made? Why?




8. Reading great literature is a way to study/explore many issues and questions humans struggle with all over the world. Actually, literature is like having a great philosophical discussion with a writer or with yourself. This story also raises several philosophical questions about human nature and society.
∑ One question it raises is whether executions deter crime. Give the author’s answer to this question. (You will find the answer in the last chapter through the plot—what happens in the story).






∑ What do you think: Are executions a deterrent to crime? Support your ideas in a paragraph using a topic sentence and specific details.








∑ At the end of the story, Charles Darwin is introduced as one of the audience members. (Charles Darwin wrote about evolution and survival of the fittest). Why is he included in this story? Relate his comments to the main ideas of the story.





∑ The story also makes us ask whether violence comes naturally to people. How does the audience’s behavior show this?





∑ Do you think violence is a natural aspect of humans? Explain.






1. What is a deep philosophical question about human nature/society which was addressed in this story, but which has not been raised by the questions on this handout?





2. Regardless of whether you liked the story or not, tell me one thing that you really struggled with and what you’ll remember from this story (like a question/issue that interested you).