A Monster Calls

by

Patrick Ness

A Monster Calls: Understanding Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
The next morning, Conor is walking to school, still frustrated with the monster’s story. His morning was frustrating, too: he spent half an hour sawing the sapling out of the floor in the middle of the night and then woke up late. Then his grandmother wouldn’t let him say goodbye to his mother because she said his mother had a “rough night,” which made Conor feel guilty for not helping her.
Conor is again frustrated that his grandmother won’t allow him to take on the responsibility of helping to take care of his mother, particularly because he is already guilty due to his recurring nightmare.
Themes
Family and Growing Up Theme Icon
Lily catches Conor on his walk, saying that she forgives him for lying and getting her into trouble. But Conor says that he’s not sorry, and that he doesn’t forgive her. Lily says that her mother told her to “make allowances” for Conor, because of what he’s going through. This only infuriates Conor even more, and he storms away.
Lily’s comment touches on a nerve for Conor because he is frustrated that people treat him differently because of his mother (an idea that is explored throughout the rest of the chapter as well). Conor, instead of acknowledging the things going on in his life and how they change his attitude and behavior, instead wants to deny them.
Themes
Death, Denial, and Acceptance Theme Icon
It was just over a year ago that Lily had told a few friends about Conor’s mother’s diagnosis, and the news had quickly spread around the school. Conor thinks, “it was like a circle had opened around him  [...]  that everyone was afraid to walk through.” It was as though he had suddenly become invisible. And pretty soon, he stopped trying to engage with other people.
The fact that other people try to avoid him makes Conor feel even more isolated during an already difficult time, which also makes it difficult for Conor to feel like a normal thirteen-year-old boy.
Themes
Death, Denial, and Acceptance Theme Icon
Quotes
Conor and his mother had hoped that by the summer holiday, her first round of treatments would put everything behind them, but then treatment had extended to a second and third round. When he got back to school in the fall, he was singled out to teachers because of his mother, and kids still treated him “like he was the one who was ill.” And so he now blames Lily, because there’s no one else to blame.
Conor’s mother’s continued treatments clearly indicate the fact that she is not getting better (or at least, not nearly as quickly as they’d hoped). But instead of dealing with the pain of this fact head on, Conor instead deflects his anger to Lily simply because it is easy to be angry at her.
Themes
Death, Denial, and Acceptance Theme Icon
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At school, Harry punches Conor in the stomach and he falls to the ground, scraping his knee. Anton and Sully continue to make fun of Conor. When Conor stands, he spots Lily leaning against the school wall, watching him before walking away. The school bell rings, indicating that they’re meant to go inside.
Now that Conor is angry at Lily, he becomes even more isolated because he is not getting support from her in standing up to Harry.
Themes
Isolation Theme Icon
Harry raises his fist once more, as if to swing it at his face, but Conor doesn’t flinch, when Harry sees this, he lowers his fist as if he’s realized something. Miss Kwan comes over and gives them a warning for being late to class. She sends them inside, but asks to speak to Conor privately. She asks if everything is okay between him and the other boys, acknowledging that Harry can be a bully. Conor says yes.
In this moment, Harry realizes an idea that he will capitalize on in a later chapter: Conor is so desperate to feel normal and acknowledged that he actually wants to be bullied, and therefore doesn’t flinch when Harry raises his fist.
Themes
Death, Denial, and Acceptance Theme Icon
Miss Kwan then says something that Conor always hates to hear: “I can’t imagine what you must be going through.” He can’t stand to hear her concern, thinking to himself that he doesn’t deserve it. He says that he’s fine, and that he’s not going through anything. Miss Kwan sighs, tells him to forget about her warning, and slips inside the classroom. Conor is left alone in the yard, knowing that he could probably stay outside all day and no one would punish him—which makes him feel worse.
Miss Kwan’s words, while well-intentioned, only highlight how isolated Conor is, because no one feels that they can relate to him. Conor’s hatred of these words also implies that he has heard this sentiment many times before. Also, similar to the idea that Conor wants to be bullied, here Conor is so desperate to be treated normally that he longs to be punished for staying outside too long.
Themes
Death, Denial, and Acceptance Theme Icon
Isolation Theme Icon
Quotes