Since the main character in The Monstrumologist is a kid who lost his parents suddenly and under tragic circumstances, it's not surprising to have a theme revolving around the idea of family. Will Henry spends a lot of time pining for what he's lost—and who can blame him, really? Especially when his only option for human companionship is someone like Dr. Warthrop, a man as incapable of expressing warm, loving feelings as he is absorbed in his scientific pursuits.
As it turns out, though, Dr. Warthrop is merely a product of his own lonely childhood, which goes to show how much of an impact family—or the lack thereof—can have on a growing young man.
Questions About Family
- How does Will Henry's childhood mirror Dr. Warthrop's? What are the differences? Do they matter? Why or why not?
- Why is family so important to Will Henry? What does it mean to him? What are his family models?
- There are a lot of father-son relationship issues in The Monstrumologist. What are the ways in which they help to drive the plot? Go deep with this one, finding examples and comparing and contrasting them.
Chew on This
Dr. Warthrop loves Will Henry like a son, he just doesn't have the capacity to show it.
Dr. Warthrop really does see Will Henry as his assistant and nothing more.