Study Questions
How do the differences between what characters think and what they say add to the humor of Lucky Jim?
What pivotal distinction does Dixon learn to make at the Summer Ball? Is this new way of seeing the world consistent, or does Dixon sometimes lapse from it?
Is Dixon's lecture a failure or a success? In what ways does Dixon achieve something out of his first public speech?
What role does Carol Goldsmith fulfill in the structure of the novel? How is she different from the other characters?
How does geography fit into the novel? What cities, regions, and countries come up? What do they tend to be associated with?
How much does the college campus setting of Lucky Jim figure into the novel? To what extent do teaching and learning fit into the novel?
Is Margaret a sympathetic character? How does Dixon feel about her at the end of the novel? For what specific traits is Margaret satirized?
