1. Some people have visceral (comes from the body rather than the mind) responses to insects and/or rodents. Discuss how you would feel if you noticed a large spider on your desk right now.
2. Does a mosquito intend to hurt you when it bites you?
COMPREHENDING AND RESPONDING
1. Which description of the mosquito did you find to be most accurate and why did you find it so accurate?
2. In this poem Lawrence gives an explanation for the mosquito’s odd anatomy. What is this explanation?
3. Lawrence frequently insults the mosquito throughout this poem. Write a list of the negative adjectives he uses.
4. In your opinion, is the last stanza of the poem surprising or not? Give reasons for your answer.
5. How would you describe the tone of this poem? Is it consistent throughout or does it change? Support your answer with reference to the poem.
6. What, in your opinion, is the theme of this poem? Explain your answer.
7. Discuss the use of sound effects, such as alliteration and sibilance, throughout this poem.
8. Discuss the use of rhetorical questions throughout this poem.
CREATING
1. Your school is holding a talent contest to raise money to buy mosquito nets to save thousands of lives in tropical countries. Write the text of the advertisement that you would place in your local newspaper. The advertisement should persuade readers why they should support this particular fundraising venture, as well as supply details about the talent contest itself.
2. In ‘Mosquito’, D. H. Lawrence addresses something that annoys him intensely. Compose a personal essay entitled ‘Little Things that Annoy Me’.
