44 pages • 1 hour read
Dodie SmithI Capture the Castle
Fiction | Novel | YA | Published in 1948A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Essay Topics
Discuss the novel’s journal form as it relates to this quote spoken by Simon on Mortmain’s work: “And your father’s a link in the chain of writers who have been obsessed by form” (140). Why is Cassandra’s decision to write a journal significant? How does this explain her philosophy on authorship? How does it compare with Mortmain’s writing forms?
Discuss Miss Blossom’s significance in the novel. What does the dressmaker’s dummy symbolize, and how do the Mortmain sisters use her? Do you see a connection between the loss of Miss Blossom’s voice (246) and the return of Mrs. Mortmain’s voice (307)? Why or why not?
How does Stephen embody the traditional characteristics of an English gentleman? Do you think the Cotton brothers are also gentlemen in the same way? Why or why not?
Discuss the importance of the English historical past in the lives of the Mortmains and Cottons. Which characters connect with the past, and how does this influence their relationships with each other? Which characters do not connect with the past?
Do you think Cassandra’s imprisonment of her father in Belmotte Tower truly influenced him to work? Or was it her suggestion of the line ‘The cat sat on the mat’? Did both factors work together?
Cassandra reconnects with her mother’s memory as she attempts to help her father resume writing. Discuss the significance of this in relation to her character development. How does the conclusion of I Capture the Castle rely on Cassandra reconnecting with both of her parents?
Compare the different forms of femininity represented by Cassandra, Topaz, and Rose. How do they differ in opinion on marriage, familial responsibilities, and career goals? How are they similar?
Discuss the Mortmain family’s concept of acceptable work in relation to their social position and financial poverty. What does this reveal about their perceived privilege? How does their perspective on acceptable work compare with that of the Vicar, Miss Marcy, and other neighbors in the village?
The last words of the novel are “I love you” (343), but despite this, Cassandra decides not to encourage Simon by going to America with him. Why does she decide to wait to act on the love she feels for him?
Do you see any connections between Jacob’s story in the bible and the events of I Capture the Castle? How might the title of Mortmain’s novel, Jacob Wrestling, expand upon the conflicts in Dodie Smith’s work?
