Change In A Monster Calls

Changes lead to new understandings, often impacts an individual emotionally and mentally, therefore causing the perspective and views of an individual to be altered. Patrick Ness’s novel, ‘A monster calls’ deals with the theme of death, change, grief and fear. The protagonist, Connor O’Malley is a 13-year-old boy that deals with recurring nightmares which brought pain and suffering to him every night. He is in serious denial about the inevitable death of his mother which gave birth to a tree-like monster to appear to teach him how to accept the fate he was given. The novel explores Conor’s changes through his emotions of fear, suffering and acceptance, he had to face combat about his mother’s illness. Conor fears his mother’s death and deeply
He explains to Conor about the ‘what’s’ and ’whys’ behind his actions. “Humans are complicated beasts, the monster said. How can a queen be both a good witch and a bad witch? How can a prince be a murderer and a saviour?... How can invisible men make themselves more lonely by being seen?” The monster poses questions during his stories to help Conor understand his own conflicted emotions and desire to damage others. Encouraging Conor to become self-reflective, the monster empowers him with stories to help him with the hard truths of his life. The monster and Conor’s relationship tends to be argumentative in different ways as Conor doesn’t understand the message in the monster stories and starts to act sarcastic. When Conor starts to understand the message being delivered, the monster language begins to become more
As the novel revolves around clocks, the most important clock comes at the very end, Conor’s mother’s death. Conor realises he has 21 minutes left until his mother’s death. “As the monster’s hands gently but firmly guided him towards his mum, Conor saw the clock on the wall above her bed. Somehow, it was already 11:46pm. Twenty-one minutes before 12:07” Time was running out, which made it more profound due to the novel revolving around clocks. Conor is able to count on 12:07 as the monster appears at this time to help Conor accept the inevitable death of his mother, although 12:07 is also associated to Conor’s dreadful nightmare. “He knew it would come, and soon, maybe even this 12:07. The moment she would slip from his grasp, no matter how tightly he held on.” The moment she would slip from his grasp, no matter how tightly he held on.” Conor finally realises that his nightmare becomes literal and that death will now claim her life. The reader learns on the last page of the novel the significance of the time, 12:07. 12:07 is the time after Conor’s mother’s life ends, but this is when the nightmare ends for good. 12:07 arrives just after the beginning of a new day. As Conor’s mother dies at 12:07, the time is a few minutes after the beginning of a new day, this symbolises the beginning of a new life for Conor. Conor will start leading