Pain


 * __A Murder is Announced__ Theme of Pain **

Pain, both physical and mental, is ubiquitous in the novel. Dora Bunner lived a life of physical pain, toiling with hunger and working hard to support herself before moving in with Letitia Blacklock. The "other" Blacklock sister has some type of deformity. Similarly, Belle Goedler is a sickly character- no one expects her to live very long. Even her own husband, Randall, expects that she will die before him. She lives in pain and must take various medicines, but beneath this struggle, she loves to be alive. There is hope in her life that there is a happy ending beyond the struggle and the pain. It is thus through the trials of Belle Goedler that Christie argues that humans have the power to live on by overcoming their pain.


 * Questions About Pain **

1. What are some types of pain endured by Dora Bunner in her life? 2. What allows Belle Goedler to live as long as she does, even with the pain of being sick all the time? 3. In what ways can pain affect a person, positively and negatively?


 * Consider This **

Discuss the effects of mental and physical pain in a person's life. Does it change the way they react to other adversity?

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