Andersons historical epic the astonishing life of octavian nothing, which is set in colonial america on the eve of the revolutionary war. Slaverythemed awardwinner is a challenging teen read. He was a hospitable and friendly man until january 3, 1925. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation is an impressive, beautiful, and at times quite challenging young adult novel. Octavian nothing, aka octavian gitney, aka prince in the. The pox party with extended analysis, commentary, and discussion. 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.
Anderson and published by candlewick in 2008, and a sequel to volume i. Octavian nothing could have been a book about a single mother and her son if not for the fact that the motherson duo are enslaved and live in a college of male philosophers and scientists. The paperback of the the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i. The first volume yesthere is a second, equally long, volume is all about octavian s life at the novanglian college of lucidity. Cassiopeia is celebrated for her beauty and acts as hostess at his soirees, and octavian is given a classical education that would be the. The pox party the astonishing life of octavian nothing. Anderson, this book is a description of the life of a boy who lives is unusual circumstances. Astonishing life of octavian nothing penguin random house. What do you get when you combine wigs, breeches, chains.
Thats the name of the man who bought him, so keeping it as his own maintains the ties of ownership. Gitney, a member of a consortium of science enthusiasts the novanglian college of lucidity, affords them a life of astonishing privilege and comfort. Anderson discusses the novel, which charts the life. 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. Octavian s own battle between rage and reason is resolved on the side of reason, possibly at some cost. 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 answer, though, is octavianthe main character in the astonishing life of octavian nothing. Anderson and published by candlewick press in 2006. The book is about octavian s, well, astonishing life. So instead he calls himself nothing, and in doing so, refers to the lack of history and family he has. For the teacher this reproducible study guide consists of instructional material to use in conjunction with the novel the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation. Anderson, is an awardwinning book about one extraordinary boys early life and subsequent attempts to escape slavery in prerevolutionary america.
Throughout the astonishing life of octavian nothing, anderson weds the style of the novel to the eighteenthcentury ideals of balance and objectivity. Okay, not literallyits just that octavian grows over the course of this book, and his circumstances radically shift, so in this way its almost like we get to see octavian shed identities and step into new ones on more than one occasion. Written in chapterbychapter format, the guide contains a synopsis, prereading. The kingdom on the waves is the second volume in m. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, vol. A vocabulary list featuring the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation volume 1 by m. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i. Set in prerevolutionary boston, the astonishing life of octavian nothing highlights the often ignored fact that slavery.
Astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation book. The first volume yesthere is a second, equally long, volume is all about octavians life at the novanglian college of lucidity. Octavian nothing is an african youth held captive by a group of enlightenment scientists and philosophers in eighteenthcentury boston. They are both treated as royalty, dressed in silks and taught latin, greek, music and mathematics. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation.
The pox party is an american historical novel for young adults written by m. Octavian is a slave who has been raised in isolation at the college of lucidity. It doesnt tell us much, but it leaves us with a hunch that this swim octavian and dr. 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. The pox partywho offers up a highly unusual slave narrative. The astonishing life of octavian nothing summary 250 words 1 page jacob mcbride period 4 102312 choice book write up the book that i read was octavian nothing. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume 1. This onepage guide includes a plot summary and brief analysis of the astonishing life of octavian nothing by m.
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. Summary the story tells us about a rich man uncle octavian. The pox party is a young adult historical fiction novel by m. The astonishing life of octavian nothing character. Octavian lives in a great house with his mother a princess from africa and they are both treated like royalty. Andersons breathtaking narrative views the past through a startlingly fresh lens that has powerful resonance for readers today. The pox party characters octavian nothing, aka octavian gitney, aka prince the first thing you need to know is that theres more than one octavian. It is the first book in the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation series. He and his mother, who is a west african princess, live at the novanglian college of lucidity. Were talking educational experimentation, a love affair with reason, and daring participation in the american revolution. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume one. As usual on such a day he was giving a party, a party for twelve people. Andersons epic novel of slavery and the american revolution, the astonishing life of octavian nothing, is even darker.
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. The kingdom on the waves the astonishing life of octavian. The the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation. Astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the. 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. At first glance, the residents of the novanglian college of lucidity seem harmless, if a little eccentric. 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. 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. 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. Read common sense media s the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i.
Gitney did not see my instruction directly, but required that the others spend some hours a day teaching me my latin and greek, my mathematics, scraps of botany, and the science of music, which grew to be my first love. Set against the disquiet of revolutionary boston, as american patriots riot and battle for liberty, this deeply provocative novel places an african slave at the center of the war for independence. This national book awardwinning novel explores racism, freedom, and individual identity. Project muse the astonishing life of octavian nothing. Andersons the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume 1. Printz award recognizing literary excellence in books for young adults. For what its worth, the second volume is titled the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume ii. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to. Andersons the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume i. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume ii kingdom on the waves v. Trefusis are taking as volume 1 ends wont be their last. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, volume ii.
Anderson about the book set against the disquiet of revolutionary boston, as american patriots riot and battle for liberty, this deeply provocative. The astonishing life of octavian nothing summary antiessays. The kingdom on the waves is a historical novel written for young adults by m. Andersons newest book the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation won the national book award. The first volume of the astonishing life of octavian nothing is the story of a young boy in 1760s boston. It provides the reader with a very different perspective on the american revolution and its meaning to various groups of the citizenry. Published in 2006, it was awarded the national book award for young peoples literature and was a runnerup for the michael l. Andersons second volume in the series, the astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the nation, is an intense, highly personal novel. As for the nothing component, well, octavian cant very well call himself gitney, can he. 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 who has not yet come to the realization that he is a slave. The astonishing life of octavian nothing, traitor to the. The first thing you need to know is that theres more than one octavian. 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.
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