Episode List

The Fifth Child runs in an uninterrupted flow from beginning to end, without any apparent chapters dissecting reading. To make it easier for my pupils to read through the text, I have split the novel in several episodes. This is just a suggestion. Others may find the text fits in more suited frames.

1. pp. 7-9 “Harriet and David met each other at an office party” to “David was an architect" THE OFFICE PARTY 2. pp 9-11 “So what was it about these two” to “They were made for each other” LOVE AT FIRST SIGHT 3. pp 13-16 “Not possible to find the kind of house” to “not theirs yet” THE HOUSE 4. pp 21-23 “The kitchen was already near what it ought to be” to “Well, here I am certainly, said Harriet” DISCUSSION WITH DOROTHY 5. pp 27-30 “That summer – it was 1968” to “in safety, comfort, kindness” THE HAPPY FAMILY 6. pp 33-37 “Harriet was distressed” to ”They decided to shrug, and laugh” FAMILY DISPUTE 7. pp. 50-53 “But when Easter came” to “It seemed to her that it listened and understood” PREGNANCY WITH BEN 8. pp. 53-56 “A scene in the kitchen” to “they ran safely home” THE FAIRY TALE 9. pp. 59-62 “And as she walked” to “and then went home with her new child” BEN'S BIRTH 10. pp 67-70 “The news had flown around the family” to “he was so strong” BEN AND THE FAMILY 11. pp 71-75 “Then something bad happened.” to “live here for weeks at a time at your expense” THE FIRST INCIDENTS 12. pp 75-77 ”Ben was over a year now” to “flailing about and fighting” BEN AND THE PETS 13. pp 78-79 “When they got home” to “and began to cry” FIRST MENTION OF THE INSTITUTION 14. pp 85-86 “Again a pet was brought” to “lay down under the table” BEN AND THE BIG DOG 15. pp 86-90 “Around the table sat Dorothy” to “In this way was Ben's fate decided” DISCUSSION ABOUT BEN AND THE INSTITUTION 16. pp. 90-92 “A few days later” to “holding them tight” BEN AND THE OTHER CHILDREN 17. pp. 92-93 “Next morning the car” to “he isn't