A Monster Calls

“What happened in the nightmare was something no one else ever needed to know.”

This quote establishes the deep sense of secrecy surrounding Conor’s nightmare. The reader does not get to learn the truth of the nightmare until the end of the novel, but it is a constant source of anxiety and shame for Conor. This sentiment, expressed in the first pages, highlights Conor’s secretive behavior and isolation, because it shows that he trusts no one with the truth of what happens in his nightmare.

“You’re a good boy. I wish you didn’t have to be quite so good.”

The morning after the monster’s first visit, Ness shows the various chores that Conor does unprompted each day. He makes his own breakfast, takes out the trash, loads the dishwasher, and starts a load of laundry. His mother is both appreciative and saddened by all of the responsibility her son has taken on since her diagnosis, and this quote shows her sorrow. She wants to be able to do more for Conor, and her comment here hints at more than just household chores. She wishes that Conor didn’t have to put on such a brave face when he is clearly suffering.

“His floor was covered in poisonous red yew tree berries. Which had somehow come in through a closed and locked window.”

Ness explores the duality of the yew tree and how it represents both life and death. In a medicinal sense, the yew tree can cure many illnesses.