Download the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume 1. Gitney purchased octavian s pregnant, teenaged mother cassiopeia at auction. I think that four of the most important themes in this story are freedom, slavery and identity and race. The pox partywho offers up a highly unusual slave narrative. Anderson includes a synopsis of the book, discussion points, and an interview with the author. Double click to crop it if necessary the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation san francisco characters. Octavian lives in a great house with his mother a princess from africa and they are both treated like royalty. Just based on that title and the initial description of octavian being a boy raised in a mysterious college made me want to read this. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to. National book award for young peoples literature and the american library association named it a printz honor book, one of four runnersup for the annual michael l. Anderson is extraordinarycertainly one of the most unique, creative, and ultimately takeyourbreathaway astonishing works of fiction that ive ever read. The astonishing life of octavian nothing 1 jeopardy template. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, volume 1.
Great supplemental information for school essays and projects. T anderson entails a story that was amazingly heartfelt. Throughout the astonishing life of octavian nothing, anderson weds the style of the novel to the eighteenthcentury ideals of balance and objectivity. The astonishing life is set in 18thcentury boston during the time of the american revolutionary war. The answer, though, is octavianthe main character in the astonishing life of octavian nothing. Some passages are as though written by his own hand, then scribbled through, as if octavian, with his vast education, still could not find the proper words to convey the horrors he had lived. A gothic tale becomes all too shockingly real in this mesmerizing magnum opus by the acclaimed author of feed. Think youve got your head wrapped around the astonishing life of octavian nothing. What do you get when you combine wigs, breeches, chains.
Astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation. Dec 09, 2012 the astonishing life of octavian nothing beth ann bassimakopoulos. Set in revolutionary boston, young octavian is being raised by a group of rational philosophers known only by numbers. I began to remember the lesson gitney taught me about eggs. The pox party the astonishing life of octavian nothing. Use this resource to spark debate about american history, race, freedom, slavery, and morality.
Mark david bradshaw, watermark books, wichita, ks view the list. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume 1. I refused the offering but then i gave into hunger. Life of octavian nothing traitor to the nation which was, written by m. He won the national book award for young peoples literature in 2006 for the pox party, the first of two octavian nothing books, which are historical novels set in revolutionera boston. Andersons the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume 1. Supersummary, a modern alternative to sparknotes and cliffsnotes, offers highquality study guides that feature detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, quotes, and essay topics. I wanted to recapture the feeling of the unknown, the unclarity of that decision. Andersons sequel to his awardwinning the astonishing life of octavian nothing is a provocative story that continues to enlarge the young adult novel in thoughtful, glorious ways. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the astonishing life of octavian nothing by m. A sequel was published two years later, the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume ii. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation vol. Were talking educational experimentation, a love affair with reason, and. While these individuals may have been referred to as servants, the fact is they were slaves, owned by those who had purchased them.
Taken together, the two parts of the astonishing life of octavian nothing form a long, complex and often uncomfortable narrative, which will demand stamina, concentration and a. Mar 20, 2007 this is a video booktalk about the young adult novel the astonishing life of octavian nothing. Needless to say, the astonishing life of octavian nothing is not an easy read but it is hugely compelling, and an absolute must for able young readers interested in the dark days before racial categorization lost all credibility. Stockholm cc photo by metro centric on flickr cc photo by franco folini on flickr brainstorm results cc photo by metro centric on flickr plot. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation is an impressive, beautiful, and at times quite challenging young adult novel. Mar, 20 like any important work of literature, there are many themes. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i. Click to read more about the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i. Fiction various diaries, letters, and other manuscripts chronicle the experiences of octavian, a young african american, from birth to age 16, as he is brought up as part of a science experiment in the. Anderson about the book set against the disquiet of revolutionary boston, as american patriots riot and battle for liberty, this deeply provocative. Andersons newest book the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation won the national book award. Jan 22, 2008 the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i. The astonishing adventures of fanboy and goth girl barry lyga advertisement. The theme to the book ida b is that nothing comes easy in life you just have to go for it and sometimes you.
Set in prerevolutionary boston, the astonishing life of octavian nothing highlights the often ignored fact that slavery existed not only in the southern colonies, but also throughout the northern colonies. The kingdom on the waves the astonishing life of octavian. She was forced out of marriage in africa and was kidnapped, then brought to america. Anderson and published by candlewick press in 2006. What is the theme of the astonishing life of octavian nothing. Andersons style definitely pertains to a specific targeted audience whom would most likely appreciate his quirky style.
The pox party, winner of the national book award and a new york times bestseller, and its sequel, the kingdom on the waves, which was also a new york times bestseller. Jan 22, 2008 the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation is written from octavian s point of view. Octavians own battle between rage and reason is resolved on the side of reason, possibly at some cost. When my lesson was learned my mask was removed and i was fed. Over ten years ago, i came across a set of two books at my library called the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation. This is a video booktalk about the young adult novel the astonishing life of octavian nothing. As the boys regal mother, cassiopeia, entertains the house scholars with her beauty and wit, young octavian begins to question the purpose behind his guardians fanatical studies. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i, the pox party by m. Jan 16, 2009 taken together, the two parts of the astonishing life of octavian nothing form a long, complex and often uncomfortable narrative, which will demand stamina, concentration and a wide vocabulary. The astonishing life of octavian nothing candlewick press catalog. Octavian s life as an experiment began when the head of the college mr.
Indeed, this book will be a challenge for many high school students a challenge well worth the effort. The second, the astonishing life of octavian nothing, volume ii. Librarything is a cataloging and social networking site for booklovers. Throughout most of the astonishing life of octavian nothing, octavian struggles both to understand and to be close to his mother, cassiopeia. Anderson discusses the novel, which charts the life. The pox party themes matthew tobin anderson this study guide consists of approximately 29 pages of chapter summaries, quotes, character analysis, themes, and more everything you need to sharpen your knowledge of the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, vol. Anderson octavian is treated like royalty in the house of his boston masters, until he realizes that they are using him as a science experiment to determine if africans are equal, physically, mentally, and morally, to the european whites. An exiled princess of the egba people from the oyo empire of western africa, she is a woman of great beauty and wit, always the center of attention around whom the scholars and philosophers revolve. Astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, vol. After he opens a forbidden door he learns the hideous nature of their experiments and his. The obstacleslaveryis a birthright if you can call something so terrible a birthright from the beginning, and not just for the main character octavian, but also for the american nation thats about to be born. Astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the. I am put in darkness with the iron mask that i am familiar with.
Readers questions about the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the. The pox party tells the story of octavian, a young slave boy whos a living experiment conducted by the novanglian college of lucidity. This book is the first of two following the life of octavian nothing. Only after he dares to open a forbidden door does he learn the hideous nature of their experiments and his own chilling role in them. Astonishing life of octavian nothing by mt anderson. Anderson born november 4, 1968, is an american writer of childrens books that range from picture books to young adult novels. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation is presented as a young adult title, which should in no way limit it only to the teen audience. Slaverythemed awardwinner is a challenging teen read.
Young octavian is being raised by a group of rational philosophers known. Octavian nothing is a powerfuland powerfully humanestory about the triumph of the individual spirit in the face of soulwithering oppression. A vocabulary list featuring 50 great words from the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, vol. The main character octavian was born to his mother, cassiopeia, when she was just thirteen. The theme of slavery versus freedom plays a major role in the astonishing life of octavian nothing. Seabourn, alexandra the astonishing life of octavian nothing. We did a book trailer over the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i. The men who raised me were lords of matter, and in the dim chambers i watched as they traced the spinning of bodies celestial in vast, iron courses, and bid sparks to dance upon their hands. The passages being explicated are on pages 222236, found in the astonishing life of octavian nothing by m. What is the theme of the astonishing life of octavian.
His second nomination came last month for his new novel, the astonishing life of octavian nothing. The astonishing life of octavian nothing character. Anderson, is about a black boy who may be royalty in africa, but he is not considered as much in boston, massachusetts during the american revolution. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, vol. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation. The paperback of the the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i.
Andersons fine novel, the astonishing life of octavian nothing allows the reader to explore this premise through the eyes of octavian gitney, a young boy. Okay, so octavian nothing is about slavery and america and we know you know thats, like, super important because, well, its slavery and american history and all. A discussion of important themes running throughout the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, vol. Categorizing the astonishing life of octavian nothing as a young adult novel doesnt acknowledge the broad this is an astonishing work, and octavian s astonishing life is just one of several in this epic saga that takes place during the american revolutionary war, the. It follows the main character, octavian, through several years of his youth as a slave in eighteenthcentury america. The pox party is an american historical novel for young adults written by m. How doth all that seeks to rise burn itself to nothing. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the. Get access to this study guide and over 30,000 other titles. Read common sense media s the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i. In octavian nothing, education is all tied up with moral ethics. It is the first book in the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation series. The astonishing life of octavian nothing traitor to the nation, which is written by m. In octavian nothing, coming of age isnt about overcoming some major obstacle midway through the book.