B. Understanding the Plot

1. What was Thomas's business? Why were his instincts right? What market share did he build up? (p. p. 307 — 309)

2. What did the computarization of the exchange market mean for bankers? Especially for Thomas? What is the role of Margaret Thatcher in this? (p. p. 309 — 311)

3. What was Thomas's idiosyncrasy? (p. p. 311 — 312)

4. Where were Henry and Thomas sitting and what were the main themes of their conversation? What troubled them most? (p. p. 312 — 315)

5. What episode from his past life which took place late spring of 1961 at Twickenham Studios did Thomas recollect? How is it connected with the actor Sid James? (p. p. 315 — 320)

6. What way did Thomas make profit for his bank? Were these ways honest? What way was he looking at people, literally and figuratevely? Whose money was he gambling with? What did the privatization programme mean? What is the takeover business? (p. p. 321 — 323)

7. Why did Michael think that Thomas was an accessory to his father's death? (p. p. 323 — 324)

8. How did Michael spend his evenings with Fiona? What was wrong with her? (p. p. 325 — 326, p. p. 328 — 329)

9. What did you learn about Michael's visit to his parents in Birmingham? What was his mother fond of? (p. p. 326 — 327)

10. What news did Michael get when trying to bring his mind into focus of writing sexual scenes? (p. 332)

11. What was the call about? (p. p. 336 — 337)

Part II

Second Reading

A. Exploring Themes

1. How is the bank system presented in the novel? What role did it play in the country? Negative or positive? How is it connected with politics? Was it good for ordinary people?

2. What is 'knighthood' in England?

3. Why did Thomas screen himself from the world?

B. Judging for Yourself

1. What is the significance of the film 'What a Carve Up!' for this chapter?

2. How can you interpret the passage about Thomas's eyes? (p. p. 311 — 312)

3. What can you say about the quizes on TV that Michael's mother watched? Were they useful? Whom and what for? (p. p. 327 — 328) Lexical games?