Chapter 1 (pp.3-11)
The Garden of Eden
...at some point something must have come from nothing...
Page 3:
1. Why do you believe that Joanna would think that the human brain is like a piece of hardware? Do you agree? Explain.
2. Where does Sophie live?
3. What time of year is it?
Page 5:
"...momentary confusion as to whether it was she or her reflection who had asked the question"
4. Sophie speaks to her reflection and says, "You are me", then, "I am you". Explain what the difference is between the two statements.
5. Describe Sophie's appearance.
Page 6:
6. Was Sophie happy with her appearance? Give two examples from the text to support your answer.
"...she felt like a doll that had suddenly been brought to life by the wave of a magic wand..."
7. In terms of mental awareness, what distinction did Sophie make between herself and the cat, Sherikan?
Page 7:
"...you can't experience being alive without realizing that you have to die..."
"...for the first time in her life she felt it wasn't right to live in a world without at least INQUIRING where it came from..."
Page 9:
"Where did space come from..."
"Could ANYTHING have always existed? ...space must sometime have been created by something else"
"At some point something must have come from nothing. But was that possible? Wasn't it just as impossible as the idea that the world had always existed?"
God created the world. God created space. Had God created himself out of nothing? How, before he had a 'self. Therefore, God had always existed. But Sophie rejected that as all that existed had to have a beginning.
Page 10:
8. We see the introduction of Hilde Møller Knag. Who is she? Make a prediction and project what role she may play in the novel in relation to Sophie. Use your imagination.
The Garden of Eden
...at some point something must have come from nothing...
Page 3:
1. Why do you believe that Joanna would think that the human brain is like a piece of hardware? Do you agree? Explain.
2. Where does Sophie live?
3. What time of year is it?
Page 5:
"...momentary confusion as to whether it was she or her reflection who had asked the question"
4. Sophie speaks to her reflection and says, "You are me", then, "I am you". Explain what the difference is between the two statements.
5. Describe Sophie's appearance.
Page 6:
6. Was Sophie happy with her appearance? Give two examples from the text to support your answer.
"...she felt like a doll that had suddenly been brought to life by the wave of a magic wand..."
7. In terms of mental awareness, what distinction did Sophie make between herself and the cat, Sherikan?
Page 7:
"...you can't experience being alive without realizing that you have to die..."
"...for the first time in her life she felt it wasn't right to live in a world without at least INQUIRING where it came from..."
Page 9:
"Where did space come from..."
"Could ANYTHING have always existed? ...space must sometime have been created by something else"
"At some point something must have come from nothing. But was that possible? Wasn't it just as impossible as the idea that the world had always existed?"
God created the world. God created space. Had God created himself out of nothing? How, before he had a 'self. Therefore, God had always existed. But Sophie rejected that as all that existed had to have a beginning.
Page 10:
8. We see the introduction of Hilde Møller Knag. Who is she? Make a prediction and project what role she may play in the novel in relation to Sophie. Use your imagination.