33 pages • 1 hour read
Stella GibbonsCold Comfort Farm
Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1932A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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At one point, Seth confesses to Flora that he consumes women before they can consume him. Why does he make this strange statement? What in his family background might prompt this notion?
Discuss the role of unsolved mysteries in Cold Comfort Farm. Why do you think the author chose to let them remain mysteries?
The entire Starkadder is mired in the past. Describe how each family member demonstrates this state of mind at the beginning of the story.
Stella Gibbons originally intended to call her book Curse God Farm. Is Cold Comfort Farm as a better option? Why or why not?
How does physical tidiness factor into the Starkadders’ transformation? Support your answer with evidence from the text
Describe Aunt Ada’s childhood trauma. How has it affected her in the present? What does she fear most?
Compare and contrast Flora’s approach to life with that of her Starkadder cousins. Who do you think is right? Support your answer with evidence from the text.
Abbe Fausse-Maigre is Flora’s favorite author. Why do you think his works would appeal to her so much? How are his books used to advance the plot?
Describe Flora’s process for transforming her odd relatives. What is her strategy? Is her approach primarily physical or mental?
Stella Gibbons is deliberately mocking a particular genre of popular fiction in her novel. What is this genre called? How does it contrast with the values endorsed in Cold Comfort Farm?
