Vile Bodies

Waugh claimed that Vile Bodies was “the first English novel in which dialogue on the telephone plays a large part” (viii). How do phone conversations establish the relationship of the characters to one another, and the readers’ relationship to the protagonists?

How does Waugh portray Adam and Nina’s relationship? How long have they known each other? What is their relationship to family?

The titled Englishmen of Vile Bodies are the subject of both public fascination and shabby mistreatment. Who are the leaders of the English society as depicted by Waugh, and how do they lead?

What is the difference in attitude between Nina and Ginger on the eve of their honeymoon? What notable insights into their relationship does their flight across England towards their honeymoon illustrate?

What role does the Major play in Adam’s state of mind and attitude about the future? How does Adam’s inability to corner the Major concerning his fortune contribute to the unfolding of the novel’s events?

Agatha Runcible and Miles Malpractice push the envelope of gender norms in England for their time. By the end of the novel, Agatha dies, and Miles is transported out of England for being gay. How do these events complicate Waugh’s portrayal of characters who embrace sexual freedom and gender nonconformity?

Why does Waugh describe the motorcar as “a vortex of combining and disintegrating units,” and how does he connect this notion to the larger themes of the novel (204)? What role does the motorcar play in Agatha’s mental disintegration and death?

How does Waugh describe the traditional elements that define Christmas Day at Doubting Hall? How does this chapter differ from the descriptions of parties in Adam and Nina’s orbit?