ENGB 810 Andrei Andreev Discussion Topics Moral Dilemmas

Instructions Read the situations described in the following slides and state your opinions on the questions following each of them.

Situation 1 (Description) It is Saturday evening and Jenny is at home feeling lonely. Her boyfriend left her months ago for another woman, her best friend Lisa went off on a business trip yesterday, and Jenny has no one to call. Suddenly, the doorbell rings. It is David, Lisa’s boyfriend, whom Jenny happens to find very attractive. He has brought flowers and champagne and says he’s very lonely too, so could they spend the evening together.

Situation 2 (Questions) What possible endings does this story have? What do you think Jenny should do? What do you think she shouldn’t do? What would you do in her place?

Situation 2 (Description) Tom is sitting in his office waiting for Alex to come to work. They have been close friends since they were children. Two years ago they went into business together and set up a joint company. Yesterday Tom discovered that Alex has been embezzling funds from the company for some time – Alex’s wife is seriously ill and needs an expensive operation abroad. Tom is wondering what to do about the situation.

Situation 2 (Questions) What possible endings does this story have? What do you think Tom should do? What do you think he shouldn’t do? What would you do in his place?

Situation 3 (Description) Years ago, when John was a child, there was a bully at school who made his life hell. This boy, Dick, would beat John up, take his pocket money, and play nasty tricks on him. During all those school years John dreamt of revenge. Today John is the president of a successful company and has forgotten about those horrible times – until one day Dick visits him and begs him to give him a job: he can’t find work, his wife left him last year, and his house burnt down.

Situation 3 (Questions) What possible endings does this story have? What do you think John should do? What do you think he shouldn’t do? What would you do in his place?

Situation 4 (Description) Anna teaches English courses for adults at a foreign language institute. She is young, charming, and has a steady boyfriend. One day she notices that Paul, a student in her group, is paying special attention to her: he follows her in the corridor during breaks, asking questions on the language. He brings her flowers and leaves love messages on her car windscreen. Then he starts phoning her regularly. Anna gets increasingly worried, but waits for Paul’s course to end. Then, after the summer holiday, on her first working day, she enters her new class the first person she sees is Paul, who has decided to continue his studies of English – in her group.

Situation 4 (Questions) What possible endings does this story have? What do you think Anna should do? What do you think she shouldn’t do? What would you do in her place?

Situation 4 (Note) Situation 4 was based on a true story, which – fortunately – had a more or less happy ending. If you wish to know how that came about, ask your teacher the proper questions or put forward your hypotheses, and he may be so kind as to tell you what actually happened.