39 pages • 1 hour read
Graham GreeneThe Heart of the Matter
Fiction | Novel | Adult | 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
What is Greene’s view of the Catholic Church? And what role does Father Rank play in informing that perspective?
How does pity and responsibility shape Scobie’s actions? And how might readers understand Scobie’s character traits in relation to broader themes?
What role does Yusef play in the narrative? Describe his relationship to Scobie.
How does Scobie justify committing suicide? Discuss the significance of how Scobie came to justify this action and how he went about executing it.
Consider Scobie’s romantic relationships. How would you define his relationship to Louise and Helen? What are the similarities and differences?
Discuss gender in the novel. How are the female characters portrayed and what are their roles in the novel?
What is the significance of Wilson’s monologues? Consider how Greene opens the novel from Wilson’s point of view and continues giving readers access to his inner thoughts. Why are these monologues important?
Describe Scobie’s moral crisis. What initiates this crisis and how does it evolve?
What is the significance of the colonial setting? How is colonialism explored by Greene?
Consider the quote in the epitaph by Charles Péguy on the sinner and the saint. What does Péguy mean and why does Greene include it in the novel?
Related Titles
By Graham Greene
