House Arrest

Throughout the novel, Timothy uses repetition. What function does it serve to develop the novel’s themes? Explore this, using at least three examples from the text.

Several times in the novel, Timothy refers to his feelings as dwarves, an allusion to Snow White and the Seven Dwarves. Discuss why he does this and why Mrs. Bainbridge does not want him to do this.

In Week 35, Timothy briefly reverts to a traditional poetic form when he rewrites the nursery rhyme “Mary, Mary, Quite Contrary” to make it about Levi’s nurse. What does his use of a traditional form communicate about his feelings for Mary specifically and about his situation more broadly?

Discuss the significance of the novel being structured by seasons.

In Week 23, Timothy describes Isa’s freckle as both “pretty” and “gross” (120). Explain her freckle’s symbolic value. What does it communicate about Timothy’s feelings for himself, his brother, and his family?

As he plans ways to get Levi to see Dr. Sawyer, Timothy compares himself to Sacagawea, the Native American who guided Lewis and Clark on their expedition to survey the land obtained in the Louisiana Purchase. Using at least three examples from the text, explore how Timothy fulfills this role for Levi throughout the novel.

Why does Dr. Sawyer call Timothy “sun” (239)? Discuss in the context of the novel’s theme of human experiences as cyclical.

At the carnival, watching Levi experience the world beyond his home’s four walls prompts Timothy to reflect on his “walls”: Annie, James, Mrs. Bainbridge, and the Jimenez family. How do Timothy’s feelings about what “walls” mean change over the course of the novel?