Maria Carias

APUSH
Period 1
8/18/15

The Astonishing Life of Octavian Nothing Quarterly

Summaries
Part 1: The Transit of Venus
Octavian is young boy raised by a group of rational philosophers in the
1700s unknowing that he is a slave. He is an experiment of the Novanglian
College of Lucidity in Boston. The head of the College, Mr. Gitney, purchased
Octavian's mother Cassiopeia at a slave auction when she was fourteen and
pregnant. But instead of becoming house or field slaves, they are used as
evidence that African people can be as smart as whites if given a classical
education. Octavian is considered their tabula rasa because he was born
in the College. He is taught the major classical subjects in addition to
playing the violin and proves to be very intelligent. One day, with the help of
Bono, a slave, Octavian figures out he and his mother are also slaves, even
though they have some freedoms. This revelation shocks Octavian because
he has never served anyone before, and cannot connect to the other slaves.
Once Octavian realizes who he is, he begins to see slavery wherever he
goes. He notes the difference of classes, both white and black, such as
bonded, freed, and indentured. At this same time Boston is eager to fight
England over taxation. Octavian does not understand the tension and anger
in the city, why stores are getting vandalized, or why people are crying
"Liberty and Property!. More importantly, he does not get that such tension
threatens his life at the College, even though they have people coming in
with bad news (like Customs officials preventing the smuggling of goods). He
however understands that whatever is going on might lead him, his mother,
and the other slaves to a future of freedom, self-education, and self-rule. But
all in all, Octavian enjoys his life at the College along with his mom who is
treated like the queen she is supposed to be and whose main purpose is to
captivate those who visit the College.
Their luck changes when one of the main funders dies. His nephew, the
New Lord Cheldthorpe, visits the College and falls for Cassiopeia's beauty
and wit. Mr. Gitney sees this and notes that she is the key to the College's
survival. They all go on a camping trip where the College men conduct
experiments and observe natural phenomenon. Lord Cheldthorpe is able to
flirt with Cassiopeia and Octavian gets to continue his studies out in Nature
and learns to swim. They also observe the transit of Venus across the sky.
Once they return, Lord Cheldthorpe wants Cassiopeia to go back to London
with him as his mistress, but she wants a marriage that befits her royal line,
so she rejects him. Lord Cheldthorpe gets angry at her rejection and attacks

her, however Octavian interrupts them. Cassiopeia and Octavian get

whipped for the very first time and Lord Cheldthorpe withdraws his financial
support. Without the money, Mr. Gitney becomes desperate and has to bring
in Mr. Sharpe, who is part of a company of investors. Mr. Sharpe is practical
and only finds something important if it earns money, so he proceeds to turn
the College around.
Part 2: The Pox Party
Octavians education drastically changes. He is forbidden to study
what he was previously taught and instead learns the most abstract material
because Mr. Sharpe believes that this education would show whether
Octavian could truly become an abstract thinker. This according to him is the
true mark of intelligence. Octavian in turn despises Mr. Sharpe and often
defies him. Cassiopeia and Octavian become servants of the house,
although Octavian does not mind because he is able to work with Bono, who
he looks up to. Cassiopeia however regrets not going with Lord Cheldthorpe,
especially when she finds out about the Somerset decision, which lets an
American slave on the British Isles sue the government for freedom. Outside
the College, the colonies are preparing for war against the British. Riots
occur, and those who side with the British are beaten. The British begin to
fire into a crowd, killing men. Their bodies get displayed where people can
view them for a fee. Outside events and College events collide when Boston
is taken over by the British. Those in the College escape to the countryside,
where f Mr. Gitney's brother has a mansion. Once in Canaan, Bono gets
traded down in the Virginia colony; when he leaves, Octavian's life continues
to down spiral.
As spring comes around, Mr. Gitney and Mr. Sharpe throw a pox
party, where everyone (even the slaves) gets immunized against smallpox,
which has been a spreading through the colonies. In addition, the Young
Men (young backers of the College) become suspicious of the slaves
because rumor has it the British are rousing up the slaves to rebel against
the colonies. The smallpox party was an excuse to gather up the slaves and
run an experiment to see how Africans respond to the vaccine. Over the next
days, the partiers begin to fall sick and not all recover from the vaccine. A
boy, one of the men, and Cassiopeia become ill. Eventually Cassiopeia dies
and is dissected in front of Octavian.
Part 3: Liberty and Property
Octavian, who now goes by the name Prince, is now sixteen and has
run away. He isnt the only one to escape, so has Bono, who is presumed to
have gone to Governor Dunmore because he announced that he would grant
slaves their freedom if they joined him. Octavian eventually ends up part of
a band of Patriots that have committed to fight the British. Octavian fiddles

for the company as they go into battle. Even though these people are white,
they sympathize with him, especially Private Evidence Goring who notices
how gloomy he is and tries to help him out. Goring, via letters to his sister,
notes the development of Octavian, going from someone who seems to have
a major wish to a guy with a purpose, the purpose to fight for liberty for all,
slavery included. Goring tries to convince Octavian that if the Patriots win,
slavery will soon be on its way. The companys job in the war is to cut off
Bostons food supply and drive the soldiers there to starvation, hoping,
England will take notice of the Patriots' demands.
Meanwhile, Mr. Shape has been trying to find Octavian. He along with
some slave-catchers is able to eventually track Octavian to Private Goring.
They trick him into thinking that they want Octavian to serve as a spy for the
Patriots. Unknowing their true intentions, Goring leads Sharpe straight to
Octavian. He is caught and is taken back to the College. Goring, unaware of
his actions, thinks he has done a good deed by helping Octavian.
Part 4: The Great Chain of Being
Back at the Canaan house, Octavian doesn't eat, move, or do anything.
He lies shackled on the floor, with his head in an iron mask. At this point,
Octavian is both philosophical and angry. He notes how all his pain is gone
because the mask has become an extension of his body. It is now a part of
him. This according to him shows that you can't differentiate between what
binds you and what is you. He recalls his childhood, and everything that he
has learned up to this point, such as the illusion of color. The men imprisoned
him in darkness, where there is no color, but he was still black and the men
were still white.
Octavian is scheduled for a final interview with Mr. Gitney and Mr.
Sharp to determine his future. Sharpe lectures him on the importance of
slavery on America's economy. Octavian argues how he never received any
kind of profit from slavery and how most importantly he never agreed to sell
his body for such profit to begin with. At this point, one of Octavians old
professors drugs both Sharpe and Gitney and is able to help Octavian escape
once again. They decide to cross the Channel from Roxbury to Boston in the
middle of the night. There they aspire to find protection from Mr. Sharpe and
the other Young Men. Octavian sees potential for freedom in Boston, which
has now been taken over by the British.