Nightwood

The doctor states that “one’s life is peculiarly one’s own when one has invented it” (125). In what ways have characters in Nightwood gained ownership of their lives by inventing themselves, and in what ways have they been bound by elements of their life beyond their ability to mold?

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?