The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing: Traitor to the Nation, Volume I: The Pox Party Questions

Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.

  1. So…what's with all those scratched-out sections in Octavian's "manuscript"?
  2. Why is the book in four parts?
  3. Why is the book titled Octavian Nothing? What does the nothing refer to?
  4. How are the Patriots' reasons for fighting the British flawed (at best) and hypocritical (at worst)?
  5. Are Mr. Sharpe's ideas all that wrong?
  6. Does Octavian have it so bad as a slave at the College?
  7. If you were Mr. Gitney, would you sell out on the values of the College just to save the College?
  8. Is the detailed goriness in the novel necessary?
  9. How does the absence of his father affect Octavian?
  10. Is Octavian's philosophical education a blessing or a curse?