Such, Such Were the Joys

The author claims that it was “impossible” to adhere to St Cyprian’s doctrine to “be at once a Christian and a social success” (391). What does Orwell mean by this?

Why does the young Orwell feel such a keen sense of hatred toward people he acknowledges as his “benefactors”? What is it about their form of charity that so enrages him?

If Orwell was not a scholarship student at St Cyprian’s but a wealthy one, would he have come to the same conclusions regarding preparatory schools? Why or why not?

Compare and contrast the perspectives of Orwell the author and the young Orwell as portrayed in the essay.

Orwell uses the most vivid imagery in the essay when describing the revolting conditions in which St Cyprian’s students ate and bathed; why would upper-class students tolerate such conditions, and what might keep them from revealing them to their parents?

Following the discovery of an incident of “mutual masturbation” at the school, Sambo delivers a talk on the “Temple of the Body.” What role does such religious language play in ensuring that students adhere to the school’s codes of conduct?

Orwell concedes that the abusive practices of St Cyprian’s at times produce a desired change in behavior. In Orwell’s view, how might a more egalitarian educational system handle disciplinary issues?

Discuss the lasting impact of childhood experiences on an individual's worldview, as depicted in “Such, Such Were the Joys”" How do Orwell’s early experiences at the boarding school influence his later writings and beliefs?