The Heart's Invisible Furies

For the first half of Cyril’s life, he is a slave to his desire and torturous Loneliness. In what ways are the Prejudice, Intolerance, and Hatred toward gay people that prevailed in Irish society through the mid-20th century responsible for Cyril’s experiences and isolation? Additionally, how did Cyril in some ways seal his own destiny and rob himself of a more fulfilling life?

Teaching Suggestion: This discussion prompt allows students to bridge together two of the novel’s themes and analyze how they interact with and influence one another. Encourage students to examine the entire arc of Cyril’s life in answering this question.

Differentiation Suggestion: Advanced learners can bridge together another theme to examine how either the Interconnected Web of Human Life or The Strength of Women Against Misogyny influenced Cyril’s life and the experiences he had.

Use this activity to engage all types of learners, while requiring that they refer to and incorporate details from the text over the course of the activity.

“Become a 20th-Century Photojournalist”

In this activity, students will select five photographs that represent the sociopolitical upheaval of mid-20th century Ireland and write accompanying fictional articles to explain what is happening in each image.

• Choose a major social issue treated in the novel that underwent drastic changes in the 20th century in Ireland and seek out 3-5 photographs that represent this issue or society’s responses to it which led to the change.