Lessons In Flannery O Connor's A Monster Calls

In the novel, A Monster Calls, the main character, Connor, shows readers a different aspect of how to be brave, act with agency, and understand the importance of telling the truth. The suspense that the book ensued and the way in which the author denied trying to teach a lesson, ultimately showed the importance of actions being more important than simply thoughts of good actions. Also, as I was reading, I connected discussions from class to topics discussed in the book, such as the sense of agency, defamiliarization, and the idea that novels should not be based upon lessons due to them pushing the reader away instead of encouraging them to read. This novel urged readers to use their own imagination and form their own opinions that the author
For example, Connor asked the monster what the “lesson” of this story was. The monster replied, “You think I tell you stories to teach lessons? You think I have come walking out of time and earth itself to teach you a lesson in niceness?” (63). This statement correlated with a conversation from class about how novels and stories should not always teach lessons, for that can actually deter the reader from wanting to read. Instead, though, the monster was persuading Connor to reach a conclusion himself about the rightness of his actions instead of directly telling him what to do. Connor was able to think about how his thoughts meant nothing unless he acted upon them. However, the interesting aspect is that Connor thought the monster was supposed to be teaching him a lesson just because he was telling him a
Connor showed agency by striving to tell the truth and having the determination to figure out why the Yew Tree Monster continued visiting him. He showed bravery by being strong and understanding that sometimes holding on to your emotions is the best way to grieve and let go. Finally, Connor learned to tell the truth when sometimes he could not believe the harsh truth that he knew. These concepts can connect with various types of readers and encourage them to explore new ways of thinking, develop different ways of using their imagination, and create a sense of growth for every reader’s future. The connections that I made with the novel and the discussions from class, such as defamiliarization with Connor’s father, ultimately made this novel interesting and relevant to aspects of children’s