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Revolutionary Boston
What is the setting of this story?
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He was killed in Oyo.
What happened to Octavian’s father?
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The first Lord died, and his nephew, the new Lord Cheldthorpe came to take his place. The death affected the College of Lucidity heavily because Lord Cheldthorpe was the one who funded the College, paid for everything, and helped support it.
What happened to the first Lord Cheldthorpe? What impact did it have on the College?
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First of all, Mr. Sharpe changed the number system (e.g. Mr. Gitney as 03-01 or Dr. Trefusis as Dr. 09-01). Another change he made was the subjects that Octavian was allowed to study and what work Octavian had to do every day. Mr. Sharpe basically changed
What changed when Mr. Sharpe came to the College? Give two examples.
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One day, out of curiosity, Octavian goes through a forbidden door and for the first time finds out that all his education and collection of data (e.g. weighing the food that he eats) are because he is a part of an experiment.
How did Octavian find out that he was a part of an experiment?
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Mr. Gitney/03-01
Who is the owner of the house?
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An experiment to prove that Africans can be as smart as white people.
What kind of experiment is Octavian a part of?
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The tea was poisoned and Dr. Trefusis intended to poison Mr. Gitney and Mr. Sharpe so he and Octavian could run away from the College of Lucidity.
Why did Dr. Trefusis keep on offering tea to Mr. Gitney and Mr. Sharpe?
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Yes, I really think the title suits the story well. First of all, the ‘Astonishing Life’ part accurately describes in one word Octavian’s life! His life is filled with so much and the story has so many unexpected turns and surprises. The other part ‘Octav
Do you think the title ‘The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing’ fits the story? Why or why not?
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I think it is more likely that the two will get caught at some point as Dr. Trefusis said that ‘it shall not be long before they discover our subterfuge and send riders after us,’ so sooner or later they’d get found. However, there is also a chance that t
What might happen next? Will Octavian and Dr. Trefusis get caught?
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Music
What subject does Octavian enjoy most?
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In addition to being a part of an experiment, he is also a slave.
Even though Octavian is a prince, why isn’t he granted much freedom?
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Yes, the plan went as coordinated. After Mr. Gitney and Mr. Sharpe were poisoned, Dr. Trefusis and Octavian escaped the College and headed towards the city of Roxbury.
Did Dr. Trefusis’ plan with the poisoned tea work? What happened after?
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My favorite part was in the end where Dr. Trefusis and Octavian escaped from the College. I liked this part because it sent a feeling of relief and finally some freedom! This was because throughout the story, Octavian’s life was quite controlled and const
What is your favorite part? Why?
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In the beginning of the story, Octavian was portrayed as a young and wealthy boy. He was given the best of education, clothes, food, attention, and was treated well. A little later, he realizes more about why he is being given that much attention and fine
Has your perception or thinking of Octavian changed as the story progressed? If so, how?
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The fiddle/violin
What instrument does Octavian play?
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Its name was Cloud. Cloud was poisoned in an experiment.
What was Octavian’s dog’s name and how was he killed?
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To Octavian, Bono is sort of like a second father or the father that he never really had. He is a mentor as well as a friend and is an important part of Octavian’s life. He and Princess Cassiopeia are devastated when Bono is sent away.
Who is Bono to Octavian?
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One of my least favorite parts was when Octavian and his mother were being punished and beaten because of the argument with Cassiopeia and the Lord. I think that it was very unfair and cruel of Lord Cheldthorpe to punish them that way, though I understand
What are/is your least favorite part(s)? Why?
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The Pox Party occurred during the middle of the story (April 1st of 1775 to be exact). Mr. Gitney had organized the Pox Party as there were rumors about the smallpox spreading throughout the nearby regions. The Pox Party proved to be both successful and u
When and why did the Pox Party take place? Was it successful or not? Provide examples.
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The Empire of Oyo in western Africa
Where is Octavian’s mother/Cassiopeia a princess of?
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I think that Cassiopeia felt ashamed and possibly betrayed because she had believed in Lord Cheldthorpe and now he had punished and shamed her. She also must’ve felt angry and regretful to have trusted in him. Additionally, she might have felt sorry, pain
When Cassiopeia (and Octavian) was beaten and punished on Lord Cheldthorpe’s orders, how must she have felt?
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I found it especially fascinating that the author wrote with a type of English that is quite different from our modern English we use today. At first, it felt strange to be reading it, but as I read more, I got used to the old English and how people wrote
What do you find interesting about the book/story?
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I think it depends on what I knew or didn’t know about the Pox Party. If I knew that the Pox Party would have more of a chance of being successful, then I would participate in it. However, if I knew that it would have more of a bad effect on me, I would n
If you were living in Boston during the time the story took place, would you have participated in the Pox Party? Why or why not
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I think that four of the most important themes in this story are freedom, slavery and identity and race. The idea of freedom versus slavery plays an important role in The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing as it is about a boy slave called Octavian who
What is/are the theme(s) in this story?
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