Heat
1) Who do you think Olivia and Douglas are?
Their names sound English so I think they are from England. Also Olivia is complaining about the heat because she isn’t used to it. They seem to be a rich married couple due to the fact they have servants at their house.
2) Where are they?
They seem to be in India. I got that impresion by the name of the town (Simla) and the formal names Sahib and Memsahib.
3) What are they arguing about?
Douglas wanted Olivia to go to Simla for the summer because there it is not as hot as at their current location. But Olivia didn’t go there because she wanted to stay with her husband and not go to old dinner parties all the time.
4) How is the quarrel resolved?
Olivia is concrite and says she didn’t know what’s wrong with her. She sees that it’s her own fault that she stayed in the heat instead of going to Simla.
5) Do you feel that unpleasant heat can have an effect in emotions? Have you ever experienced anything like that?
I’m sure that the heat affects the people so they are not as easy-tempered as they usually are. I mean you are huffier and you are losing concentration.
I experience those situations almost every summer at school when I’m sitting in class and it’s too hot to concentrate on the subject. And if somebody annoys me then I’m not easy-going anymore.
Dust
1) What are your feelings when you are confronted with the description of such a landscape?
The described landscape has a depressing effect on me. I can feel the heat and the loneliness there. It must be painful for the people who work or travel this landscape.
2) Explain why you would or would not like to travel or live there?
I would like to travel there but only in a car with air-condition because otherwise it would be too hot for me. O would like to travel there to see the landscape with total loneliness.
But I wouldn’t like to live there because ot this loneliness. I need some action going on around me and I need a city where I can go to when I have to buy something. I don’t want to travel for hours therefore.
