Pompeii
Summary from the Publisher...
A sweltering week in late August. Where better to enjoy the last days of summer than on the beautiful Bay of Naples? But even as Rome's richest citizens relax in their villas around Pompeii and Herculaneum, there are ominous warnings that something is going wrong. Wells and springs are failing, a man has disappeared, and now the greatest aqueduct in the world - the mighty Aqua Augusta - has suddenly ceased to flow-Through the eyes of four characters - a young engineer, an adolescent girl, a corrupt millionaire and an elderly scientist - Robert Harris brilliantly recreates a luxurious world on the brink of destruction.
Discussion Questions
- 'It struck me that Rome might be a way to write about America' Robert Harris
Robert Harris had initially set out to write about a utopia gone wrong, set in the future and created by a giant American corporation, he even originally researched the Walt Disney 'empire'. Do you think the Roman Empire is an interesting way to write about a modern day superpower? What are the similarities with current global events?
- There is a current vogue in film (Gladiator, Troy, Alexander the Great) as well as books for classical themes - why do you think this is? What are the parallels with our society?
- Harris has referred to 'toga resistance' because so much about the Romans - their habits, assumptions, they way they speak, even their names - can be alienating to a contemporary audience. Do you feel he succeeds in being readable and authentic?
- The ability to disguise the outcome is held to be a vital part of the thriller writer's art. Pompeii is a 'known-ending story' - how successful do you think the author has been in building tension despite this? Where does the suspense lie? Does he use the reader's foreknowledge to good effect?
- 'I was interested in power and those who seek power' Robert Harris
Discuss the theme of power, corruption and greed within the novel - particularly in light of the apocalyptic ending. Also, the forces of nature versus civilisation and town versus countryside.
- The epigraphs to the chapters are extracts from volcanology texts - what purpose do you think these serve? Do they work, along with the four-day structure, as a narrative device? If so, how?
- Harris has an accessible but informed style of writing. He spent three years researching Pompeii. Has he convincingly blurred fact with the pace of fiction for you? Are plot twists chosen over nuances of character and does this matter to you?
- Attilius is an aquarius, the structure of the novel moves from water to fire - discuss the theme of water within the novel.
- The story of Attilius and his unfulfilled love for Corelia adds a very human dimension to the novel. Do you feel this is an effective subplot?
Links
- Official Website for Pompeii
- This is Random House UK's site for the book. The main page is a little cheezy, but the Reading Guide is good, and includes an author interview.
- The Age of Aquarii
- A New York Times Book Review by Daniel Mendelsohn.
- The Destruction of Pompeii, 79 AD
- This article at EyeWitness to History.com shares the eyewitness account of Pliny the Younger.
- Pompeii: Portents of Disaster
- This BBC site has some great information and links.
Other Resources
- Cowell, Alan. "In the Fate of Pompeii, Allegories For Today." New York Times 10 Nov. 2003: E1.
- Kerr, Philip. "Toga Wars." New Statesman 15 Sep. 2003: 48.
- Mendelsohn, Daniel. "The Age of Aquarii." New York Times Book Review 21 Dec. 2003: 6.
- Tonkin, Boyd. "Books: Interview Robert Harris - Eve of Destruction." The Independent (London, England) 30 Aug. 2003: 16.
Updated: 10/25/2004