Discuss Fleury's character as a symbol of the changing times in which he lives. What qualities, beliefs and actions associate him with "the times," and does this change as the novel progresses? You may want to discuss events that change him, i.e. his friendship and shared experiences with Harry. How do the final pages of the novel confirm or complicate the argument you have developed?

Research the historical basis for the novel. Discuss the siege depicted in the novel as it relates to the larger political landscape at the end of British rule in India. What kind of portrait of the colonizing powers does the author paint? Are there faults you can find with it, or has it been idealized? In what ways does the author sympathize with the British colonizers? In what ways does he criticize them? Cite specific examples from the...