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1. Do you find the title of the chapter "The Happy Years" facetious, sarcastic or factual? I personally believe that all three adjectives are quite applicable. Despite the somber and sad tone of the novel, I still quite often found some dark humor and irony in the many lines of this novel.


2. How do you categorize the relationship between Jude and Willem? Are they both compensating for their past?

3. Do you think financial stability and affluence in fact exacerbated Jude's psychological problems because he was not preoccupied with his daily struggles of survival?

4. Has is been a total U-turn for Jude in his more mature life when he met mostly kind, loving, and compassionate people, like Willem, Harold, Julia, Andy and others? Does life have its compensations?

What significance do you give to Jude being called "Judy"? Does this enhance or detract in your mind?

(It detracted in mine. I felt I was being given a stereotype of being gay, rather than a reality. But I don't know enough to know if that was a valid reaction.)

Zulfiya wrote: "1. Do you find the title of the chapter "The Happy Years" facetious, sarcastic or factual? I personally believe that all three adjectives are quite applicable...."

I'm with you on that, Zulfiya.