Nightwood

Plant life and other elements of nature are woven through the novel, and are often in the process of decay. Where are examples of this decomposition or decay in the text, and what might they represent concerning characters or broader themes? 

Even though the character of Robin Vote is central to the novel, the author chose not to give her more than a few lines of dialogue, while other characters deliver long monologues. Why might the author have made this choice, and what might it help you infer about Robin Vote? 

Churches figure prominently in the novel, as do discussions about the positives and negatives of various religious sects. Many of the characters define themselves through their specific religious backgrounds; however, many of them also work through conflicts between their belief systems and their personal and social circumstances. In what ways is religion either a comforting or oppressive force in characters’ lives?

T.S. Eliot famously categorized Nightwood as a novel akin to poetry, although having a “musical pattern not that of verse.” Where in the text can you point to examples of poetic devices and influences at work? Where do passages noticeably break from this style, and why might this be the case?

By the final pages of the novel, Robin Vote has become a wild creature, barking and crawling on all fours. Which points in the story build to this scene, and how do specific passages foreshadow this final transformation?

Doctor Matthew O’Connor speaks at-length about his experience feeling like he was born in the wrong body, and introduces the concepts of “the third sex” and “the invert.” In what ways do ideas in the novel align or differ with current discussions about gender identity and expression?

While not technically a narrator, the character of O’Connor does significant work in moving the novel forward. However, he sometimes refers to himself as Matthew-Mighty-grain-of-salt-Dante-O'Connor. Responding to the "grain-of-salt" part of this name, in what ways is the doctor both a reliable and unreliable storyteller? 

References to animals appear throughout the novel. Do any characters align themselves with the animal world, and if so, does the author draw a distinct line between animals and humans?