Rasselas 1/31

Sam Johnson:
   -Wrote novel in 1759
   -From the United Kingdom
   -Spent most of his life in debt
   -Had symptoms close to Tourette's Syndrome
About Novel:
   -Rasselas inspired by Lobo's "A Voyage to Abyssinia"
   -Originally called "The Choice of Life"
   -Written in one week
   -Profit went to pay off Sam's mom's debt from her funeral, etcetera.
   -Abyssinia is now Ethiopia
   -Rasselas is a name adopted by emancipated slaves

Questions for Discussion:

1. How is Rasselas different from Crusoe? The same?
2. Do you think that the novel reflects the sadness of Sam during the time of his mothers' death?
3. Is Rasselas wrong for being restless and unhappy with paradise?
4. What do you make if his first escape attempt? 
5. How do you feel about his sister tagging along and Imlac leading them on their journey?
6. What brings about the apathy from Rassy about the man's daughter dying?
7.  Do you think there is an effect on the character being of ethnic descent and the author being from the UK?

Quotes:

• "...pleasure has ceased to please me." (47)
• "I shall long to see the miseries of the world, since the sight of them is necessary to happiness."48
• Page 69 fourth paragraph
• "Many things difficult to design prove easy to perform."71
• "Imlac permitted the pleasing delusion, and was unwilling to crush the hope of inexperience."75