Flamingo (Prose): Going Places

Topics in this chapter

• Sophie’s Imagination and Escapism
• Fantasy, Reality, and Ambiguity
• Family Relationships and Working-Class Life
• Aspiration, Social Mobility, and Success
• Football, Fame, and Celebrity Culture
• Narrative Perspective and Characterisation

Cheat sheet

Practice questions

1. Question 1Q-32B013

   Why does Sophie’s dream of opening a boutique reveal her central conflict in "Going Places"?

   1. A.She wants to escape her ordinary working-class life through ambitious fantasies.
   2. B.She has already received professional training in fashion design.
   3. C.She wants to help her family repay its debts.
   4. D.She dislikes all forms of creative work.
   See the answer and solution
2. Question 2Q-F1F557

   What does Jansie’s response to Sophie’s plans mainly show about the two girls?

   1. A.Jansie is more practical and willing to recognise the limits imposed by their circumstances.
   2. B.Jansie is jealous because she secretly wants to become a footballer.
   3. C.Jansie is less intelligent than Sophie and cannot understand her ideas.
   4. D.Jansie completely shares Sophie’s belief in extraordinary success.
   See the answer and solution
3. Question 3Q-4E58A3

   Which interpretation best explains the significance of Sophie’s alleged meeting with Danny Casey?

   1. A.It proves that Sophie has entered a successful career in football management.
   2. B.It may be a fantasy created by Sophie, showing how strongly she uses imagination to escape her limitations.
   3. C.It demonstrates that Geoff deliberately deceives Sophie about Danny Casey.
   4. D.It confirms that Sophie’s family is about to become wealthy.
   See the answer and solution
4. Question 4Q-76FA2D

   How does Geoff function in Sophie’s life in "Going Places"?

   See the answer and solution
5. Question 5Q-B57B69

   Why does football occupy an important place in Sophie's imagination in "Going Places"?

   1. A.It offers her a possible career as a professional player.
   2. B.It connects her imaginatively with a glamorous world beyond her ordinary life.
   3. C.It is the main subject she studies at school.
   4. D.It helps her avoid speaking to her family.
   See the answer and solution