A Kind of Thief

The English Department Website

A Kind of Thief

Chapter 1

1. What do we learn of the relationship between Elinor & Sophia?

2. From whose point of view do we see events?

· How is this done?

· Give examples

3. Show 2 examples of very short sentences on page 1 & show what effect they create

4. George & Elinor’s faces are both said to ‘crumple’ What does this mean?

5. How does George respond to the arrival of his daughter?

6. Why had the police come to his house?

7. Page 6 replace these words with synonyms –

· Thrust

· Obliterated

Writing Task

See sample guide

Write a report on events as if you were one of the arresting officers. You should report factually on what happened and the behaviour and reactions of the different people. You should write in a formal, objective style

See Naomi's version

Chapter 2

8. What simile is used to describe Sophia’s crying?

9. Invent a simile of your own with a similar meaning

10. What example of Sophia’s erratic behaviour is given?

11. How does Elinor sum up Sophia?

12. How did the 3 children react differently to their new mother?

13. How old was Sophia when she married? How old was Elinor? How old is she now?

14. Why does Elinor say Sophia does not look like a mother?

15. What did the gifts show?

16. What is in Elinor’s dressing gown pocket

17. How does she feel about her father’s giving it to her?

18. Why does Sophia send Judy to borrow sugar from Mrs Crabbe?

19. What is their father accused of?

20. What idiomatic expression does Sophia get confused by?

21. Explain what it means

22. Why does Sophia fear George may be in trouble?

Writing Task

Write a love letter from George to Sophia when they are both in Italy, before he has brought her to England. It should remind her of how they met, show how much he loves her and remember the things she said & the places in Italy they went to. It should then explain to her what his family is like and ask if she will marry him. Invent details to show their relationship and make the letter affectionate, charming and romantic

Chapter 3

23. Rewrite paragraph one in the first person. Don’t just use the same words but rewrite it using language that Ellie would use to express her thoughts

24. Replace these words with synonyms –

· Page 13 Buoyed up & Flatly

25. Look at the last paragraph on Page 15 “Sophia was not out…”

List the words here which indicate Sophia’s character

26. What is that character like?

27. What does Matthew think his father has done?

28. What does this tell us about Matthew & George?

29. Page 14 replace this word with a synonym – Furtive

30. How do Elinor & Matthew see their father’s situation differently?

31. What examples are we given of Matthew’s secretive nature?

32. What makes Elinor think Matthew is like their father?

33. Replace these words with synonyms –

· Page 16 flushing

· Page 17 contritely

34. What does Elinor say happened to the receipt?

35. Why has Sophia got no rings?

Writing Task

Write diary entries for the past few days for 2 of the following

· Elinor

· Sophia

· Matthew

· George

You should write about half a page for each entry for each character and must be careful:

	To give a different point of view for each. In the book we do not see Sophia’s true feelings. How does she feel alone in a foreign country with these children & a husband arrested?
	To write in a different style e.g. having mistakes in Sophia’s English

Chapter 4

36. How has the point of view changed? How do we know?

37. Replace these words with synonyms –

	38. Page 19 Nose out of joint
	39. Page 20 jerking

40. Why does he not trust Sophia?

41. Page 19, look at the paragraph beginning “He’d lifted the mask…”

List 4 adjectives from this paragraph and suggest what mood they create

43. Why is Matthew surprised by Ellie on page 21?

44. How does Ellie know Matthew has followed her?

Chapter 5

45. Replace these words with synonyms –

· Page 27 Gloat

· Page 28 resented

· Page 29 hitch

46. How does Matthew feel when he looks at the case?

47. Why does he feel his father is a hypocrite?

48. How does Ellie win Matthew over?

49. Why is their father still in jail?

50. Why does Ellie not let Matthew open the box?

51. Why does Ellie feel guilty?

52. How does their father look?

Chapter 6

53. Rephrase in your own words page 32 “Sophia looked at her step-children with a mixture of irritation and remorse”

54. Page 33, What was Pandora’s box?

55. Page 34, paragraph beginning “Judy noticed..”

Rewrite Ellie’s summing up of Judy’s character but changing the idiomatic language

56. How does Sophia feel this situation is worse than her poverty in Naples?

57. For whom has Sophia baked biscuits?

58. How do you feel about Sophia’s plan? Give reasons for your answer

Writing Task

Write a letter from Sophia to her mother explaining what has happened, what she misses in Naples and what she plans to do

Chapter 7

59. What sort of woman is suggested by Ellie’s description on page 38 beginning, “A small woman…”?

Give reasons for your answer

60. What sort of image is created of Bob Shaw on page 39?

Give reasons and quote words and phrases

61. Why does Ellie go down before they are called?

62. Rephrase in your own words page 40

“It really is the limit” &

“He couldn’t drop us fast enough”

What sort of person do you think the speaker is?
What means is the author using to create character?

63. What does Ellie mean, “It was like a cattle auction”?

64. Is she using a simile or a metaphor?

65. Look at the portrayal of Mrs Shaw on the top of page 42.

What sort of image of her does the writer create? How?

66. Why can Ellie no longer rely on Annabel?

67. Where do the 3 children end up going and why?

	Matthew à
	Judy à
	Ellie à

Chapters 8 & 9

68. Why does Ellie not worry about Judy?

69. Why is Matthew behaving so badly to Sophia?

70. Why does Ellie want to burn the money?

71. Whom does she not think of?

72. Why does she not wish to open the case?

73. Page 50, look at the 2 paragraphs beginning, “From this…”

· List all the adjectives & put them in 3 groups – pleasant, unpleasant & neutral. Put question marks by any you are uncertain of

74. How is Ellie like Blondell?

75. Why does she feel free at the end?

Write in the columns below what you know of the main characters

In the first column, put a word or phrase e.g. ‘secretive’ or ‘selfish’ and in the next column put evidence form the text to back up your judgement

Ellie		Judy		Matthew
Characteristic	Evidence	Characteristic	Evidence	Characteristic	Evidence

Chapters 10- 15

76. Look at the first paragraph on page 56 and list the adjectives that Vivien Alcock ues to create a dismal atmosphere

77. What did Ellie first think of Timon?

78. What evidence does the author give for her feelings?

79. What are sniping remarks page 58?

80. What is a sniper?

81. Why does Ellie say she often eats ostrich eggs?

82. How does the writer use the character of Aggie to illustrate the other characters in the story?

83. Look at the last 3 paragraphs on page 61. How does the writer use nature to reflect human feelings?

84. On the second half of page 63, list words which create a sense of mystery & fear

85. List the adjectives used in the penultimate paragraph to describe Mrs Carter. Why are they effective?

86. What image is used to describe her? Is it a simile or metaphor?

87. What is the effect of sibilance in this image?

88. How is Timon’s character shown to be different here?

89. Why does Elinor agree to go cycling with Timon?

90. How does Ellie find people treat her differently after her father’s arrest?

91. How does the relationship change between Ellie & Timon?

92. On page 78, how does the author create a sense of isolation?

93. List the adjectives used to describe the house on page 79 & comment on the effect they create.

94. How does her view of Timon change?

95. Why has he locked her up?

96. How had Timon found the money?

97. Why does he call her a kind of thief? Is he right?

98. Why did he not take the money?

99. What is effect on their relationship of her fall?

100. How did Timon meet ma?

Chapters 17- end

101. Why is Janet Richards like Ellie?

102. How does Mrs Carter feel that George’s upbringing affected him?

103. How does Matthew find he is in a similar state to Mr Shaw?

104. Give some examples of how Matthew is mistreated

105. Whom does the frightened boy by the canal remind Timon of?

106. Look at the paragraph on page 125 beginning, “So he stayed…”

107. List the words which are to do with sound & say which are onomatopoeic

108. How did Matthew get the money to travel?

109. Look at the bottom of page 135.

From whose point of view are events seen? How do we know?

110. Comment on the image in the last line on the page & the image on the last line of 136.

111. Which do you prefer? Why?

112. Why will Mrs Carter not accept the money?

113. How have the changes in their lives improved relationships between Sophia & the children?

Masterpiece

EITHER

1. Write THREE diary entries from one of the characters at different times showing what they think is happening and how they feel about events and other characters. It is important that you

	Capture their voice i.e. write in a style that sounds like the character
	Show change and development as they learn more about events, other characters and themselves

2. Write an essay about what the text says about honesty.

	You should look at the different dilemmas and decisions faced by George, Elli, Matthew, Timon & Mrs Carter in terms of stealing, telling the truth and deceiving others.
	You should show what you think the title of the book is saying