A Hidden Message by Dr. Trefusis

Octavian begins to make his transition from scholarly prince to common house servant.  Due to the new management of Mr. Sharpe, who believes that the compelling works of Homer, Aristotle, and Plato should not fancy Octavian. Rather he should be taught logic and grammar. Dr. Trefusis strongly disagrees; the doctor believes that Octavian has such a remarkable intellect that taking this course of educational planning would be a waste of talent. Before the transitions are made for his new educational route Dr. Trefusis slips Octavian new historical lain about Roman slavery and slaves who achieved greatness. These literary works were not slipped to Octavian for the sheer sake of translation. Even though Dr. Trefusis does not develop conversation about the text, he knows that Octavian has been trained to be a thinker and a questioner by the academicians. These articles can give Octavian a reason to question his new roles and even branch out against these retched practices of slavery. Even though the intelligence, which has been granted to Octavian, can be considered a positive, the molding of Octavian’s mind is the reason why these academic doctors are considered madmen. Mr. Gitney has been morphing Octavian’s brain not in the way of a parent, who teaches their children values and family culture, but as a mad doctor. He drills him in the advanced sciences and arts, while mysteriously tracking his progress. Allowing the doctors to see if a “savage” human can learn such advanced concepts, which are then published in articles distributed to the academic community. The fault of this practice is Octavian is a living human being; these psychological experiments have taken him away from the real world. The rude awakening of his future has been torturing his body and mind. These events can also be related to the medical treatment inhibited by Dr. Mitchell. His experiments have done more hurt then healing towards women. Mr. Gitney’s experiments seemed to prove a great future for Octavian, they were really only do wonders for his articles. Leaving this boy to be a servant to an ungrateful master Mr. Sharpe. 

Ryan Moen