Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Monday’s Not Coming, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Child Abuse
Family, Community, and Responsibility
Growing Up, Independence, and Friendship
Secrecy and Shame
Poverty, Social Support, and Desperation
Memory, Repression, and Trauma
Summary
Analysis
Claudia has a secret: she knew Monday was dead. But she hoped Monday would be in a car, chopped up, or buried somewhere—not in a freezer right in front of her. This makes the pain even worse. Now, instead of being red, Monday is dark onyx. In some ways, Claudia is glad Monday’s name wasn’t Friday. That would be too tragic.
Here, Claudia underscores that it’s uncomfortable to think about child abuse and violence, which is why it often goes ignored or uninvestigated. And it’s far more comforting to think that strangers are dangerous than it is to accept the possibility that a loved one might be capable of murder.
Themes
