The Beach of Falesá

by Robert Louis Stevenson

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The Beach of Falesá Questions and Answers

How does "The Beach of Falesá" represent a "contact zone," as defined by the American Linguist Mary Louise Pratt, and what might these representations tell us about the realities of imperialism, trade, migration and settlement in colonial England during the nineteenth century?

What are the elements in The Beach of Falesá by Stevenson that deviate from literary realism, and what might it tell us about the hybrid nature of this work?

Discuss the theme of evil in “The Beach of Falesá” and its depiction in relation to good.

What are some examples that highlight the theme of home and abroad in Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Beach of Falesa"?

Can Robert Louis Stevenson's "The Beach of Falesá" be classed as a hybrid work, mixing genres and writing styles?

How does "The Beach of Falesá" reflect as well as contrast with Victorian domestic values?

How is a contact zone represented in Stevenson's "The Beach of Falesá"? How is the relation between the colonizer and colonized depicted? Provide very specific examples from the work to illustrate your discussion.

The American linguist and critic Mary Louise Pratt defined  "contact zones" as "social spaces where cultures meet, clash, and grapple with each other, often in contexts of highly asymmetrical relations of power, such as colonialism, slavery, or their aftermaths as they are lived out in many parts of the world today." In light of the above definition, how is the contact zone represented in Stevenson's "The Beach of Falesá?" Provide very specific examples from the work to illustrate your discussion.

How can the relationship between Wiltshire and religion be qualified in Robert Louis Stevenson's story?

What is the significance of homosociality in "The Beach of Falesa"? How does it contribute or conflict with the portrayal of imperial activity?