1. The text shows a young boy plummeting to his death through varying degrees of despair. Richard could be anybody, anyone of your friends or of your acquaintances, or yourself.

Ask yourself: Why does he turn? Where does he turn to? And from the list below, choose what you think is the main cause of his death. Justify your answer:

1. Richard loved himself in Ruth.

2. Richard loved Ruth too much.

3. Richard loved an image of himself.

4. Richard lived in a world of fantasy.

5. Richard enclosed himself in a shell.

6. Richard had no one to turn to.

7. Richard despised himself.

8. Richard did not listen to the depth of his heart.

9. Richard gave up hope.

10. Everywhere Richard turned, he found a blind alley.

11. Richard did not know which way to turn.

2. The voice at the end of the text says: 'Richard, why are you dead, a hole shot in your head.'

Ask yourself: Who is speaking? Why does the voice say these words?

Choosing from the list below, express what you think the voice wanted to say:

1. The voice mocks at Richard

2. The voice wants to say his death was futile

3. The voice wants to say: 'Why have you killed your heart?'

4. The voice means: 'You were dead before you died.'

5. The voice means: 'Why did you see your blue sky as night?'