16. The lawyer looks terrible, much older than his 40 years. Why? Why does the banker think of the lawyer as a "strange man"? Is he a "strange man"? 17. Why does the lawyer write that he despises, "freedom and life and health, and all that in your books is called the good things of the world"? 18. Does the lawyer seem smug and everybody” at the end? Is this pride? If so, is “above he too proud? 19. What does the lawyer mean by, "You have taken lies for truth"? Can you think of any examples of people doing this? 20. The lawyer marvels at those who, "exchange heaven for earth"? What does he mean by this? 21. The lawyer once saw the two millions as "paradise," but now he despises the money. Why? Wouldn't it have been better to take the money? Why or why not? Why does he willfully flee before the term of his confinement is officially over? 22. Why does the banker have contempt for himself after reading the lawyer's letter? Does the banker also learn something from the bet? How does his decline compare to the change that takes place in the lawyer? Why does the banker kiss the lawyer’s head? Why does he weep? Why does he lock the lawyer’s letter in his safe? 23. In what ways is the lawyer a different man? In what ways is the banker a different man? At the end of the fifteen years, what do the lives lived by the lawyer and the banker demonstrate in regard to their original argument about the merits of capital punishment? 24. Would you take such a bet? For 5 years? For 1 year? Why or why not? What is a life worth living? 25. How would you interpret the story’s theme the insight it reveals about basic human – needs? Do you think it expresses a truth about life as you know it? What answer does the story provide to the initial question of whether life imprisonment is preferable to capital punishment?
16. The lawyer looks terrible, much older than his 40 years. Why? Why does the banker think of the lawyer as a "strange man"? Is he a "strange man"? 17. Why does the lawyer write that he despises, "freedom and life and health, and all that in your books is called the good things of the world"? 18. Does the lawyer seem smug and “above everybody” at the end? Is this pride? If so, is he too proud? 19. What does the lawyer mean by, "You have taken lies for truth"? Can you think of any examples of people doing this? 20. The lawyer marvels at those who, "exchange heaven for earth"? What does he mean by this? 21. The lawyer once saw the two millions as "paradise," but now he despises the money. Why? Wouldn't it have been better to take the money? Why or why not? Why does he willfully flee before the term of his confinement is officially over? 22. Why does the banker have contempt for himself after reading the lawyer's letter? Does the banker also learn something from the bet? How does his decline compare to the change that takes place in the lawyer? Why does the banker kiss the lawyer’s head? Why does he weep? Why does he lock the lawyer’s letter in his safe? 23. In what ways is the lawyer a different man? In what ways is the banker a different man? At the end of the fifteen years, what do the lives lived by the lawyer and the banker demonstrate in regard to their original argument about the merits of capital punishment? 24. Would you take such a bet? For 5 years? For 1 year? Why or why not? What is a life worth living? 25. How would you interpret the story’s theme – the insight it reveals about basic human needs? Do you think it expresses a truth about life as you know it? What answer does the story provide to the initial question of whether life imprisonment is preferable to capital punishment?
the_bet_guiding_questions.docx