SAMUEL RICHARDSON - PAMELA, OR VIRTUE REWARDED

VOLUME I, LETTER II: HER FATHER IN ANSWER

p. 208 COMPREHENSION:

•1)   WHY ARE PAMELA'S PARENTS WORRIED?

They are worried about Pamela's masters' behaviour because he takes so much attentions on their daughter.

•2)   WHAT IS THEIR OPINION OF THE SQUIRE?

They think that he is a strange person and they are afraid he can keep their daughter under control and into a wrong side.

•3)   HOW DO THEY INTERPRET THE GIFT OF THE FOUR GUINEAS?

They think that it is the price of their daughter shame.

•4)   WHAT DO THEY FEAR PAMELA'S RESPONSE TO HER MASTER MIGHT BE?

They fear she could have been too much nice with him.

•5)   WHAT IS PAMELA'S PARENTS ADVICE TO THEIR DAUGHTER SHOULD THE SQUIRE BEHAVE IN AN INDECOROUS WAY?

They suggest her to leave everything and come back home.

•6)   WHAT USE DO THEY MAKE OF THE MONEY PAMELA HAS SENT TO THEM?

They don't use them and they laid it up in a rang among the straw of the roof.

INTERPRETATION:

•1)   IS THE LETTER OF PAMELA'S PARENTS WHAT DO YOU EXPECTED? WHY/WHY NOT?

Yes, I expected this letter because at that time family was very close, parents were worried for their children, particularly for daughters and for this reason they considered wedding a very important event.

•2)   HAS THE PARENT'S ANSWER CHANGED YOUR VIEW OF PAMELA HERSELF?

No, the parent's answer did not change my idea of Pamela, because I think she is a young girl but able to look after herself.

•3)   WHAT NARRATIVE TECHNIQUE ALLOWS RICHARDSON TO PRESENT DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS OF THE SAME EVENT?

Richardson has been allowed to present different interpretations of the same events by the use of letters. As a matter of fact, people who write the letters are different, and for this reason their opinion of the same event is different.

•4)   WHAT HAS TO BE THE READER'S ATTITUDE FROM LETTER III ONWARDS AFTER SUCH AN AMBIGUOUS BEGINNING?

The reader wants to know how the story goes on, but at the same time he is not able to decide which part to agree with.

•5)   LOOK AT SOME ILLUSTRATION OF PAMELA BY HIGHMORE. WHAT DO YOU EXPECT THE MASTER'S BEHAVIOUR TO BE IN THE REST OF THE NOVEL?

I think the master will try to keep Pamela under control to set a tar for her virtue.

•6)   "I HAVE SEEN MORE OF YOUR LETTERS THAN YOU IMAGINE, AND AM QUITE CHARMED WITH YOUR MANNER OF WRITING." PAMELA, LETTER XXX. CAN YOU GUESS WHO SAID THESE WORDS AND HOW THE NOVEL ENDS?

I think the squire could have said this words to put Pamela to shame.

This novel can accept two kinds of end: it might be positive, if they decide to live together, but at the same time it might be negative, because the squire can become violent if Pamela does not accept his attentions.