The book is called Tales of the Madman Underground, so it isn't super surprising that one of its themes is madness. Struggles of the mind are a huge part of this story. We've already talked a lot about how the Madmen's personal struggles add to the book's themes elsewhere in this section, but a major issue with madness is how the adults in the story treat the topic of mental illness and the effect of that treatment on the kids. As you'll see, the faculty who arrange the therapy group do so without a lot of logic or common sense—yet the social relationships of the students within this poorly organized operation may just save their lives.
Questions About Madness
- We hear a lot about madness in this book as it applies to the teenage characters, but what about the adults? Pick an adult character and analyze the role of madness in his or her life.
- What are the problems with how Lightsburg's therapy program is set up? What does Karl identify as the biggest issues?
- What is Karl's attitude toward therapy? How does it differ from other interactions he has with authority figures, such as working for Philbin or Mr. Browning or attending AA meetings? Do some research about teenagers and mental illness both in 1973 and in the present day. What issues do teens deal with that are the same? What is different? What techniques do schools today use to help students dealing with abuse, neglect, self-harm, and other issues of concern?
Chew on This
The Madman Underground succeeds not because of the adults who organize it but because of the combination of students that make it up.
Gratz's realization of Karl's loyalty to the Madmen opens a door to him and other adults, enabling them to become more willing to get involved with helping students in need.