Bring on the tough stuff - there’s not just one right answer.
- Despite the fact that the novel bears his name, Nostromo isn't really a central focal point for a hearty chunk of the book. Why?
- How/why are the Violas important to the narrative? Why is the story of a relatively low-profile Italian family at the center of this tale of political intrigue, imperialism, and global capital?
- In fact, why are there so many Italians in general?
- "Nostromo" means boatswain in Italian, but is also a bastardization of "nostro uomo," the Italian for "our man." Is this nickname or misnaming important? Why?
- The novel is divided into three sections, each of which is named after a different focal point in the narrative (i.e., the silver, the Isabels, and the lighthouse). What do you make of this structure? What do these divisions or titles do for our understanding of the plot?
- The novel presents a wide range of competing ideas about what it means to be "Costaguanero" in the novel. Does one "true" or authentic kind of nationalism emerge? Is there hope for a nationalism there that isn't bloody?