Button Button Richard Matheson
Button, Button by
Richard Matheson
Button, Button
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Slide 1: Slide
EngelsMiddelbare schoolhavoLeerjaar 4
This lesson contains 46 slides, with interactive quiz, text slides and 1 video.
Lesson duration is: 50 minItems in this lesson
Button, Button by
Richard Matheson
Button, Button
Slide 1 - Slide
Answer the questions about
Button, Button
Slide 2 - Slide
1. Give a description of the package Norma found by the front door?
Slide 3 - Slide
1. Give a description of the package Norma found by the front door?
It was a cube-shaped Carton sealed with tape. The names and address of Arthur and Norma were printed by hand on it.
Slide 4 - Slide
2. What message was scotch-taped to the bottom of the box?
Slide 5 - Slide
2. What message was scotch-taped to the bottom of the box?
The message which was scotch-taped to the bottom of the box said that Mr. Arthur would call them at 8:00 P.M.
Slide 6 - Slide
3. Who was Mr. Steward and what was his offer to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur?
Slide 7 - Slide
3. Who was Mr. Steward and what was his offer to Mr. and Mrs. Arthur?
Mr. Steward was a representative of an anonymous organization. he offered them that if they pushed the button, somewhere in the world someone they did not know would die. In return for this, they would receive a payment of $ 50,000.
Slide 8 - Slide
4. Why did Norma consider the tone and attitude of Mr. Steward offensive?
Slide 9 - Slide
4. Why did Norma consider the tone and attitude of Mr. Steward offensive?
Norma didn’t like Mr. Steward’s attitude because he insisted on giving information to her about what he had brought, even though she had told him that she was busy and that she was not interested in the offer.
Slide 10 - Slide
5. How did Arthur treat Mr. Steward after listening to his offer?
Slide 11 - Slide
5. How did Arthur treat Mr. Steward after listening to his offer?
Arthur became angry. He thrust the button unit and the envelope into Mr. Steward’s hands and asked him to leave.
Slide 12 - Slide
6. Why did Arthur disagree with his wife?
Slide 13 - Slide
6. Why did Arthur disagree with his wife?
Arthur disagreed with her because he considered the killing of a human being an immoral act. He thought that it did not make any difference whether or not they knew the person who died.
Slide 14 - Slide
7. What was printed on Mr. Steward’s card?
Slide 15 - Slide
8. Why did Mr. Steward return the package though Norma had told him that she was not interested?
Slide 16 - Slide
7. What was printed on Mr. Steward’s card?
Only Mr. Steward’s name and telephone number were printed on the card.
Slide 17 - Slide
8. Why did Mr. Steward return the package though Norma had told him that she was not interested?
Mr. Steward continued persuading Norma as he had perhaps observed that she could ultimately fall a prey to the temptation of $50,000. Arthur had turned down the offer straight away but Norma had not shown any outright rejection.
Slide 18 - Slide
9. Why did Mr. Steward continue persuading Norma?
Slide 19 - Slide
9. Why did Mr. Steward continue persuading Norma?
Mr. Steward continued persuading Norma as he had perhaps observed that she could ultimately fall a prey to the temptation of $50,000. Arthur had turned down the offer straight away but Norma had not shown any outright rejection.
Slide 20 - Slide
10. Who might be killed according to Norma and Arthur?
Slide 21 - Slide
10. Who might be killed according to Norma and Arthur?
According to Norma, it might be some old Chinese peasant ten thousand miles away or some diseased native in the Congo, whereas Arthur thought it might be some baby boy in Pennsylvania or some beautiful little girl on the next block.
Slide 22 - Slide
11. Why did Norma get up earlier than usual to cook things for Arthur’s breakfast?
Slide 23 - Slide
11. Why did Norma get up earlier than usual to cook things for Arthur’s breakfast?
She wanted to please her husband. She also wanted to prove that she was not selfish. That is why she got up earlier than usual to cook him a good breakfast.
Slide 24 - Slide
12. Why did Norma try to persuade her husband to agree with her?
Slide 25 - Slide
12. Why did Norma try to persuade her husband to agree with her?
She tried to persuade her husband to agree with her because she wanted to fulfill her dreams. Fifty thousand dollars, for example, could help them to go on a trip to Europe, buy a cottage on the island, have a nicer apartments, nicer furniture, nicer clothes and a car.
Slide 26 - Slide
13. What were the reasons Norma gave to her husband to accept the offer?
Slide 27 - Slide
13. What were the reasons Norma gave to her husband to accept the offer?
She told Arthur it would not be murder if they did not know the person who died. She thought that those who had made the offer would not be actually kill any one, and that they were probably doing it for some research project.
Slide 28 - Slide
14. How was Arthur different from Norma?
Slide 29 - Slide
14. How was Arthur different from Norma?
He had control over his desires. He considered killing someone immoral. Norma was subject to her desires and wanted to fulfill them by hook or by crook.
Slide 30 - Slide
15. What compelled Norma to push the button?
Slide 31 - Slide
15. What compelled Norma to push the button?
Norma very desperately wanted to get money to improve her lifestyle. She did not have control over her desires. Furthermore, curiosity and materialism compelled her to push the button.
Slide 32 - Slide
16. What were the feelings of Norma after punching the button?
Slide 33 - Slide
16. What were the feelings of Norma after punching the button?
She shuddered and a chill of horror swept across her. However, the feeling lasted only a moment. She thought it was ridiculous to get worked up over nothing.
Slide 34 - Slide
17. What was the message Norma received on pushing the button?
Slide 35 - Slide
17. What was the message Norma received on pushing the button?
On pushing the button, Norma received the message of her husband’s death. (A voice on the telephone informed her of the subway accident in which a shoving crowd had pushed Arthur in front of the train.)
Slide 36 - Slide
18. How did Arthur die?
Slide 37 - Slide
18. How did Arthur die?
Arthur died in a subway accident. A shoving crowd pushed him from the platform in front of the train.
Slide 38 - Slide
19. Did Norma remain normal on hearing the news of the accident of her husband?
Slide 39 - Slide
19. Did Norma remain normal on hearing the news of the accident of her husband?
She could not remain normal on hearing the news of her husband’s death. She could not seem to breathe. She was in a state of numbness and a great shock.
Slide 40 - Slide
20. What is the significance of Arthur’s life insurance policy?
Slide 41 - Slide
20. What is the significance of Arthur’s life insurance policy?
Arthur’s life insurance policy was for $25000. With double indemnity in case of his accidental death, its worth was $50,000, and coincidentally, the same amount had been offered by Mr. Steward.
Slide 42 - Slide
21. What was inside the button unit when Norma smashed it?
Slide 43 - Slide
21. What was inside the button unit when Norma smashed it?
There was nothing in the box. There were no transistors, wires or tubes. No nails or screws were visible.
Slide 44 - Slide
Slide 45 - Video
Which ending did you like best?
Why?
In what way could the endings be compared?
Why?
In what way could the endings be compared?
