Tasks: The Beautiful Suit by H.G. Wells
The painting Oh, What's That in the Hollow? is used to illustrate the short story. The painting is by Edward Robert Hughes, a British artist influenced by the Pre-Raphaelite movement who later took part in the Aesthetic Movement in Britain. Study the painting and discuss the following questions.
- Does the painting illustrate the short story well? Why / why not?
- What do you think the painting shows us?
- What does the painting's title suggest?
- What do you think of the painting?
- Work in a group and discuss which of the following sentences best describe the short story. If you want, you can pick more than one sentence.
- Afterwards write one sentence that you feel sums up what the story is about.
"The Beautiful Suit" is a story about how vanity can be deadly.
"The Beautiful Suit" is about the importance of not being too obsessed with looking good.
"The Beautiful Suit" is a story about a mother who wants to control her son too much, and therefore ends up losing him.
"The Beautiful Suit" is the story about a man who has never fully grown up, and who maintains a childlike attachment to his mother. His childishness and inability to stand up to his mother is the reason for his demise.
"The Beautiful Suit" is a story about a man who wants to live life to the fullest but is afraid to do so.
"The Beautiful Suit" is a story about how important it is for children to break free from their parents' control and make their own decisions.
"The Beautiful Suit" is a story about how becoming obsessed with beautiful things can take you down the wrong path in life.
"The Beautiful Suit" is a parable intended as a warning to parents: you have to let your children lead their own lives and not hold them back.
"The Beautiful Suit" is the story of a man's desire for freedom.
"The Beautiful Suit" is about how nature, even in a controlled environment like a garden, can be deadly if you are not careful.
Pick one of the tasks, do the research and make a 2-5 minute presentation to be held in a group. You may make the presentation in pairs or alone.
- Research the author H.G. Wells and present interesting and important facts about his life and authorship.
- Research the author H.C. Andersen and present interesting and important facts about his life and authorship.
Write answers to the following questions. Make sure you write full answers that can be read and understood by someone who doesn't know the questions.
- Why doesn't the mother let her son wear the suit whenever he wants? Do you think the mother was right not to let the son wear the suit as much as he wanted?
- What does the story tell us about the relationship between the mother and the son?
- Why do you think the son suddenly decides to wear the suit outside in the middle of the night?
- Do you think the suit can be a metaphor for something else? If so, what do you think the suit represents?
- What is the theme of the short story?
- The short story was inspired by H.C. Andersen's fairytales. Can you find three characteristics of fairytales in this short story?
- What does the author achieve by telling the story as a fairytale?
Pick one of the tasks and write a longer text.
- Compare "The Beautiful Suit" with a fairytale by H.C. Andersen, for example "The Little Matchstick Girl". Link to the H.C. Andersen Centre Website: The Little Matchstick Girl. What similarities do you find between the way the stories are told?
- Write an analysis of the short story "The Beautiful Suit", paying special attention to theme and characterisation.
- Is the short story "The Beautiful Suit" a story about vanity? Write a text where you discuss this question. Make sure you reach a clear conclusion.
Related content
The Beautiful Suit is a short story by H.G. Wells.