PART 4 - SOUL AND BODY

Part 4: Soul and body

1 What did Tereza smell on Tomas when she came home?

2 List some of the things that were currently happening politically during this period of time.

3 Why did Tereza want to eat breakfast with Tomas?

4 Describe some of the Tereza's observations of the body.

5 Describe the connections she makes between the soul and the body.

6 When Tereza looked at her body, what did she see?

7 Why does Tereza work behind a hotel bar?

8 Tereza suddenly understands that the Russian police have been using the photographs she and other photojournalists took during the invasion.

9 Tereza begins flirting with men at the bar. Even this she cannot do lightly; she flirts heavily, seeming to promise too much too earnestly. How do her ideologies about the body, love and lovemaking begin to change?

10 In a dream sequence, Tereza asks Tomas to help her. He directs her to Petrin Hill, where a man with a rifle helps three suicidal people kill themselves, then turns to her. She tells him no, and that it wasn't her choice, and leaves the hill. What does she believe this dream is telling her?

11 The dream makes Tereza decide to go visit the engineer. She goes to his room and the two interact awkwardly; they often lapse into uncomfortable silence. Sophocles' Oedipus is among the shelved books. Who does Tereza think these books represent?

12 The stranger undresses her and the two have sex; at the point of orgasm Tereza spits in his face. Why do you think she spits in his face?

13 On her way home Tereza notices a crow. Earlier she saw some children trying to bury it alive. She takes the bird home to save it, but cannot; she watches it die.
What do you think this imagery related to death may suggest?

14 Tereza and Tomas drive through Prague. The city has changed, and grown ugly. Russian words replace the original and traditional names. Describe Tereza`s next dream sequence. What does she want to happen to her? Why do you think she feels this?