Tales of the Madman Underground might take place in the early 1970s, but Lightsburg's families are hardly the Brady Bunch. Imagine the Brady Bunch beating each other with blunt objects and screaming obscenities in each other's faces, and you'd come a lot closer to what life for these kids is actually like. For Karl especially, whose father played the dual role of a major public figure and a drunk and then eventually died, life is no picnic. Nonetheless, he and his severely dysfunctional mother attempt to live together and overcome the loss in their lives—even if they have to fight through the garbage between them to do it.
Questions About Family
- Karl's dad has been dead for almost four years before the action of the book begins. How is he still a presence in the book despite this? What qualities does Karl have that came from his father?
- Is Karl's mother aware of how out of touch with her son she is? How can you tell? Or, is she rationalizing her bad decisions so she doesn't have to think about it?
- Where do you see Karl and his mom going after the story ends? Has their relationship changed, or have they continued to be dysfunctional?
Chew on This
While Karl's dad may not have been the most honorable person all the time, he taught his son respect for others and to stand up for people in need.
Tearing up the list of chores is Karl's mom's turning point for realizing how much she's harmed her son.