Picnic at Hanging Rock Essay Questions

How is Miranda characterized by the staff and students?

Miranda is known for being extremely kind and infinitely patient. She treats all the students with warmth, even people like Sara and Edith, who are not liked by other students. People say that even looking at her face is soothing. Sara particularly relies on her relationship with Miranda as a way of feeling loved and appreciated. Miranda has the ability to make everyone at the school feel content. She has an almost saintly demeanor and is the most missed of all of the people who disappear.

What material beyond the narrative is included in the text of the novel?

The novel also includes excerpts from newspapers, letters, and testimonials to the police. This patchwork of information allows the reader to see how events are perceived from different points of view while also heightening the tension of the narrative. The inclusion of newspaper clippings highlights the scandal caused in the media by the disappearances, while the letters highlight the jumble of personal motivations surrounding the events. The testimonials show the failure of individual witnesses and investigators to ever solve the mystery at Hanging Rock.

What is Sara's most beloved possession and why?

Sara's most prized belonging is her oval frame from Miranda, which contains a picture she painted of Miranda. She cherishes it because it is a gift from Miranda and because she believes it is a testament to their friendship. She carries it around with her everywhere because she values it so highly. It is a clear demonstration of her love for Miranda and the extent to which she cares about their friendship.

What causes Mrs. Appleyard to treat students at the school differently?

Wealth plays a significant role in how Mrs. Appleyard treats students. She attempts to be warm to Irma Leopold because she is wealthy and the school needs her father's contribution. In contrast, she has an overt dislike for Sara Waybourne because she believes she contributes little to school's ledgers and is just a general nuisance. In this way, class is an essential factor in how she treats students.

How are newspapers portrayed in the novel?

Newspapers are portrayed negatively in the novel. They don't seem concerned with facts and often cook up absurd explanations for events in an effort to sell more copies. Lindsay seems to hold a dim view of these publications as they profit off of lurid speculation about various tragic events. The impression of these papers given by the novel is an overall bad one.