Darkness at Noon

Compare the functions of various pictures mentioned in the text—such as the portrait of No. 1 and the photography of the “numbered heads” of the Party founders. What does the novel suggest about the political or symbolic value of images and of art more broadly?

Analyze references to physicality in the book, including but not necessarily limited to Rubashov’s memories of torture, of Arlova’s body, of Little Loewy’s stature, of Richard’s stutter, and of Kieffer’s son’s hare-lip, explaining how they matter to Rubashov’s intellectual preoccupations.

Trace the references to No. 1 and make a case for how we are meant to interpret his representation in the novel.

Explore Rubashov’s textual connections to Christianity. Make an argument as to how the text encourages us to interpret Rubashov’s death in Christ-like or Faustian terms.

Rubashov and Ivanov are presented as ideological “twins” who are more or less interchangeable within the larger context of Party politics. Analyze their conversations and make a case for how Rubashov could or could not have ended up in Ivanov’s position.

Analyze Vassilij and No. 402, the two most significant minor characters and both Rubashov’s neighbors, exploring how they reflect Rubashov’s moral development over the course of the book. 

Compare and contrast Rubashov walking partners in the exercise-yard—Rip Van Winkle and the peasant with the bast-shoes—who both have a kind of political innocence. Make a case for understanding the difference in Rubashov’s attitudes toward each man. 

Explain what Rubashov means by the “grammatical fiction” and why Part Four uses this phrase as its title.