Jan 2, 2010

Odour of Chrysanthemums | Topics for Further Study

• Investigate the condition of mines in England at the turn of the century. To what extent does the mine in ‘‘Odour of Chrysanthemums’’ function as a silent but forceful character?

• Research the position of women in England in the early twentieth century. Is Elizabeth Bates’s life-style common to those of other women at that time?

• What references to the effects of environmentally unfriendly industrial practices can you find in the story?

• Elizabeth Bates thinks her husband drinks too much. What kind of medical, social, psychological, or...