Study Guide

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party Part 1, Chapter 9

By M.T. Anderson

Part 1, Chapter 9

This whole chapter is all about how much Octavian adores his mother.
He describes how all the men just flocked to and surrounded Cassiopeia all the time, and how Cassiopeia knew how to banter and flirt with them in order to get her way, especially if she had to leave and tend to Octavian.
Even Octavian started to view her the way the other men did: as an admirer.
Insert Octavian the narrator, with a whole argument about how he can't describe his mother in any way other than this beautiful flirt.
He admits that he doesn't know anything about her feelings or thoughts; he can only describe her as he saw her.
Once though, he remembers how—after putting him to bed—she asked him to touch her hair.
She laid her head down in his lap and he patted her head.
That time, he felt like he was the mother and she was his son.

Ask questions, get answers, and discuss with others.

Join today and never see them again.

Get started