The Arrow

No, not that Arrow. 

Time's Arrow, by Martin Amis. The book we'll be discussing when we meet on Thursday, April 30th at 10:45am.

To that end, please take a look at the assignment options below and come prepared to weigh in.

We'll be discussing all of the assignment options, but everyone is expected to have completed at least one in order to be ready to offer some insight—or perhaps more questions, which could, in turn, lead to insight.

Ready? Set? Go!

(Or perhaps I should say "Go! Set? Ready?")

Assignment Options

Number 1
"Uncle Pepi" is Joseph Mengele, but who is Joseph Mengele? Do a little research and come prepared to enlighten us with what you find. Be thorough, please. Don't just tell us he was a Nazi doctor. Give us some information we couldn't necessarily glean from the text of Amis' novel—information that helps to explain references in the text; information that goes beyond what the text offers.

Number 2
Examine the structure of the novel. Obviously, Amis put a lot of thought into the organization of the story's details. Go beyond the idea of the "reverse narrative" and take a look at how the story is divided into chapters and parts. What information is covered in each chapter and part? Why do you think Amis divided the information in this way? And what do you make of the phrases used to title the various chapters? What purpose do they serve?

Number 3
We get a lot of things in reverse in this novel. Everything, really. Choose one particular event or action (the break-up of a relationship, courtship/dating, eating, domestic violence, aging, a city's economic development/regression, a taxicab ride, "doctoring," etc.) and explain what we learn by viewing this process in reverse.

Number 4
Examine one of the following symbols or motifs featured in the novel and try to figure out what it represents or what we can learn by examining its repetition.

• stars
• mirrors
• dreams
• fashion
• chess
• doctors
• time's arrow

Number 5
Delve into the issue of war crimes, particularly as it relates to Nazis and the Holocaust. How should perpetrators of war crimes be punished? Does the punishment change according to when the perpetrator is "brougth to justice"? For instance, were Tod Friendly convicted of a war crime at his advanced age, how should he be punished? Has he suffered, made amends, or been rehabilitated at all in the 50 years since the war? Does the time that has elapsed matter, or should a 95 year old, say, be put to death or sentenced to life in prison for crimes committed 65 years ago?

Number 6
As always, you are welcome to choose your own issue to explore in whatever way you so choose. Draw, write, paint, sculpt, question, answer, pull out a quote and analyze it. Anything.