Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Mysterious Benedict Society, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Confidence and Growing Up
Deception vs. Truth
Loneliness vs. Friendship
Control vs. Freedom
Hope
Summary
Analysis
Eleven-year-old Reynie Muldoon is walking through the city of Stonetown on his way to take an important test. This is his second test of the day. He has been told only that he should bring a single pencil and a single eraser, and to arrive before 1:00; if he does not follow these instructions precisely, he will not be allowed to take the test. Reynie very much wants to take the test, so he hurries to find the Monk Building, where the test will be held, since the test’s administrators did not tell him how to get there. Finding the building is difficult, but Reynie is used to figuring things out for himself.
The story begins in medias res (in the middle of things) so that, like Reynie, the reader is thrust into a strange situation without explanation. Reynie does not know why he must arrive before 1:00, or why he is only permitted one pencil and eraser, but he must follow these rules to take the test. His willingness to contend with these bizarre instructions indicates that this test, whatever it is, is important. The fact that Reynie is used to solving problems on his own highlights that he is self-sufficient and intelligent, but also that he does not have the support systems that protect most children.
Themes
The story flashes back to the day Reynie learned about these tests. He is reading the newspaper with his tutor, Miss Perumal, as they share breakfast at the Stonetown Orphanage, where Reynie lives. The two often read the newspaper together, since it is the only thing the orphanage has for Reynie to read––he has finished all of their books, even those meant for older children. The newspaper is full of articles about the Emergency, a state of chaos that has overtaken the world.
Reynie’s intelligence extends beyond navigating the city on his own: he is the brightest child in his orphanage, having surpassed the lessons and literature of all the other children. Not only is he intelligent, but he is also eager to continue learning, as he seeks out knowledge in the newspaper. Miss Perumal supports Reynie’s desire to learn; as his tutor, she helps him learn, and she also learns alongside him as they read the newspaper together. She is the only person in Reynie’s life who cares for him and ensures that he is fulfilled. The newspaper introduces the Emergency, which shapes the story’s setting and hints at the main conflict. The Emergency is discussed within the first pages of the book, establishing its significance as a major influence on the world and the characters.
Themes
Miss Perumal sees an advertisement in the newspaper that she excitedly points out to Reynie. The ad reads, “Are you a gifted child looking for special opportunities?” Reynie, who has been orphaned since infancy, is pleased to see an ad that directly address children instead of their parents, but he also finds this odd. Nevertheless, he tells Miss Perumal that he would be interested in the “opportunities,” if she thinks he might qualify. Miss Perumal responds that Reynie is more than qualified: he the most talented child she’s ever known.
Reynie continues to demonstrate his intelligence and perceptiveness, as he notices that the advisement addresses children directly. He is able to balance his own interest with cautious curiosity. Miss Perumal also demonstrates that she genuinely cares for Reynie in her excitement and insistence in his brilliance. Reynie does not grasp just how intelligent he is: he doubts that he might qualify as a “gifted child,” and only Miss Perumal’s encouragement prompts him to pursue the advertisement.
Themes
Miss Perumal schedules a time for Reynie to take the test, but she is called away when her mother falls ill. Reynie is disappointed that Miss Perumal cannot take him to the test. He likes Miss Perumal, and he believes her to be the only person who cares about him. To his surprise, though, the orphanage director Mr. Rutger later tells Reynie that Miss Perumal’s mother is feeling better, and Miss Perumal will be able to bring Reynie. Mr. Rutger is concerned about the test, since he fears it might be an entrance exam for an advanced school, and he wants Reynie to be educated within the orphanage. Reynie resents this, since being cooped up in the orphanage traps him with the children who bully him and prevents him from making new friends.
Reynie is a lonely boy. He has lost his parents, and the other children in the orphanage pick on him for his unusual intelligence. Miss Perumal is the only person, adult or otherwise, whom Reynie trusts, but even she cannot reliably be there for him because she has to help her mother. While Miss Perumal ultimately manages to come through for Reynie, Mr. Rutger represents the other adults in Reynie’s life: unhelpful and uncaring. Mr. Rutger is the orphanage director, and he should look out for the best interests of the children in his care, but instead he allows Reynie to be bullied in a school that doesn’t teach to his level.
Themes
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Reynie is too excited to sleep, and he gets up early to take the test. He dresses in the dark, which results in an ugly outfit of clashing patterns. He doesn’t notice, since Reynie does not consider his appearance worth paying attention to––he is usually unnoticeable and average. Miss Perumal greets him and recommends that Reynie change.
Unlike Mr. Rutger, Miss Perumal pays attention to Reynie and wants the best for him. She playfully teases him about his outfit, demonstrating the closeness of their relationship, and Reynie takes her advice, indicating that he trusts her. She also once again seems to think more highly of Reynie than he thinks of himself: he doesn’t believe that his appearance is noteworthy, but Miss Perumal values Reynie enough to insist that he present himself respectably.
Themes
Miss Perumal and Reynie plan for Miss Perumal to drop Reynie off at the test site and pick him up after the exam. When they arrive, they find a long line of nervous children accompanied by their parents. Miss Perumal goes into the building to ask about the test, and Reynie goes to the end of the line. He wonders how many children will be offered “special opportunities.” A man in line notices Reynie’s anxiety and kindly tells him that all the children will go in together in a few minutes. The other parents cast “grumpy looks” at the man, disapproving the idea of being friendly to competitors. The man is embarrassed and stops talking to Reynie.
The other children in line are nervous, but they have their parents to accompany them. Miss Perumal cannot stay with Reynie, and she even leaves him in line to speak with the test administrators. This does not frame Miss Perumal as a bad caregiver, since she is doing all she can for Reynie, but it speaks to how fundamentally alone he is. When a man in line is kind to Reynie, the other parents give him “grumpy looks,” which highlights the undercurrents of surveillance and judgment in the world of the Emergency.
Themes
Miss Perumal returns to Reynie and tells him to call her on the building’s telephone when he finishes the test. He thanks her, but she tells him not to look so grateful. Reynie is surprised to see that Miss Perumal is crying. She gives him a hug, saying, “I imagine my services won’t be needed after this.” Reynie protests that he hasn’t passed the test yet, but Miss Perumal dismisses this idea, squeezes Reynie, and walks away to her car.
Miss Perumal tearfully tells Reynie not to be so grateful for her help, suggesting that she believes he should not be thankful that someone is showing him basic care. Miss Perumal loves Reynie, and she wants him to have a childhood that allows him to take security and guidance for granted. She cares for Reynie so deeply that she is willing to part from him, since she believes the test will bring him a better life. Her remark that Reynie won’t need her services is a reminder that although Miss Perumal loves Reynie, she is only his tutor. When she can no longer provide her services, she cannot be in his life.
Themes
The test is unusual. The first section involves standard math equations, including a question about how long it would take two trains of different speeds to collide. Reynie answers this question with a note about how the train engineers would probably prevent a collision in the first place. The second section gets stranger. The first questions ask if the test-taker likes to watch television or listen to the radio, and Reynie responds no to both. The third question reads, “What is wrong with this statement?” Reynie writes the answer: the sentence isn’t a statement, it is a question. The questions continue like this until the final question, which asks simply, “Are you brave?” Reynie hesitates. Finally, he answers that he hopes he is.
On the test, Reynie further demonstrates his intellect and his unique approach to problem-solving. He does not accept the conventional wisdom that two trains in a math problem might collide, instead approaching the question with real-world logic. The strange questions about television and bravery also hint that the test is seeking a specific type of person. Reynie’s answers to these questions show that he is honest, and his uncertainty about whether he is brave mirrors his initial lack of confidence about whether he qualifies as “gifted.”
Themes
The test administrator watches the children carefully as she eats an apple. She is a thin woman with a yellow suit and stiff posture, and she reminds Reynie of a pencil. She announces that the test is over, and when several children complain that they have not finished, the woman narrows her eyes and repeats that the test is over. She collects the tests and leaves to grade them while the children wait. Two boys near Reynie start arguing over a question, with both of them claiming their answer to be correct and asserting that anyone who got it wrong would be stupid. Listening to them makes Reynie doubt his own answers, but he tries not to care. He wants to prove that he can be brave.
The strangeness of the tests heightens as Reynie encounters the administrator, whose unusual appearance marks her physical separation from the world Reynie is used to. Her strict adherence to the test’s rules also foreshadows her devotion to the man who created the tests. The bickering between the two boys also highlights how Reynie differs from other children: his intelligence is quiet and unassuming, and he can easily be persuaded to doubt himself. Despite this doubt, Reynie hopes that he can be brave.
Themes
After only a few minutes, the test administrator returns with the results. She announces that she will read the names of the children admitted to the second phase of the test. The children in the room murmur, confused, since the newspaper advertisement hadn’t mentioned a second phase. The administrator explains the rules of the second phase: the children should report to the Monk Building before 1:00 to join children from the other sections of the test, and they should bring only one pencil and one eraser. Reynie raises his hand and asks if a pencil sharpener will be provided. A boy near Reynie snickers at Reynie’s assumption that he will pass to the second phase. Reynie blushes, embarrassed, but the administrator answers his question straightforwardly and says that the room will have a pencil sharpener.
The second phase confronts Reynie and the other children taking the tests with increasing levels of confusion and mystery. In the face of this confusion, Reynie manages to keep a clear head. He sticks to his curiosity and instinct for rational problem-solving, which prompt him to ask about a pencil sharpener. The other children mock him for this, but the test administrator treats him with genuine, if terse, respect.
Themes
The room quiets as the test administrator prepares to read the names. She calls Reynie’s full name, Reynard Muldoon, and then says, “That is all. The rest of you are dismissed.” The rest of the children start crying out in protest, but the administrator ushers them out. Reynie approaches her to ask to use the telephone, but the woman tells him there is no telephone. She smiles and says that she has to sneak out the back door, in order to avoid the angry parents seeking explanations that she cannot give. She bids goodbye to Reynie, tells him not to be late, and leaves.
The test administrator dismisses the children tactlessly, without regard for social conventions, demonstrating that she is not bound to the norms that Reynie is familiar with. She continues to ignore common courtesy, insisting that the building has no phone and explaining bluntly that she needs to sneak away from angry parents. However, this tactlessness does not make the test administrator unkind. She smiles at Reynie, and reminds him not to be late, suggesting that she wants Reynie to pass the second test.
Themes
At a quarter to 1:00, Reynie approaches the Monk Building. Outside, he sees two girls. One girl has green hair and is playfully throwing and catching her pencil. Reynie notes this is a bad idea, and just as he thinks it, the girl drops her pencil and it falls through a grate. The other girl hesitates, but she checks her watch and sees it is almost time for the test. She tells the green-haired girl that she’s sorry about her pencil, but Reynie notes the other girl smiling as she realizes there is now one less competitor in the test.
Reynie once again demonstrates his practicality and foresight by predicting that the green-haired girl might lose her pencil. The other girl’s pleasure at the green-haired girl’s misfortune speaks to the casual cruelty and selfishness of the world Reynie lives in, which is only exacerbated by the Emergency. The other girl does hesitate before leaving the green-haired girl, hinting that without the influencing factors behind the Emergency, she might be kinder.
Themes
Reynie approaches the green-haired girl. She asks if he has an extra pencil, but he says he was told to only bring one. The girl asks why Reynie is still standing with her, since the test is about to start, but Reynie says he won’t leave her without a pencil. He introduces himself to the girl, and she tells him her name is Rhonda Kazembe. She asks how Reynie plans to get her pencil back, but Reynie tells her they can share his. He snaps his pencil in half and hands her the sharpened end. Since the building will have a sharpener, he can sharpen his half inside and they can both take the test.
In addition to being unusually intelligent, Reynie proves that he possesses a kindness that most of his peers lack. Rhonda even questions Reynie’s willingness to stay with her as the test time approaches, but Reynie insists on doing the right thing. His ability to solve Rhonda’s problem underscores that Reynie is not only “book smart”––he can apply his knowledge and generate creative solutions. He has been told that the testing site has a pencil sharpener, and he applies that knowledge to help Rhonda.
Themes
Rhonda is grateful and surprised at Reynie’s ingenuity. To thank him, she reveals that she has the answers to the test. Reynie asks how, but Rhonda says she doesn’t have time to explain. Still, she assures him that if he sits behind her, he can copy her answers and get a perfect score. Reynie is stunned. He is briefly tempted––he wants “desperately” to learn about the “special opportunities.” But then he imagines lying to Miss Perumal, and he knows he cannot cheat. He turns down Rhonda’s offer, and she again looks surprised. Reynie is ashamed. He already feels lonely being different from the children at the orphanage, but it is worse to be considered odd by a green-haired girl who is strange herself. Rhonda tells Reynie to suit himself, and the two enter the Monk Building.
Though Reynie is “desperate” for the chance at the test’s promised opportunities, his moral code and natural honesty overcome that desperation. This decision also highlights Miss Perumal’s role in Reynie’s life––Reynie lacks parents, but Miss Perumal has served as a strong enough parental figure to strengthen Reynie’s natural values. Reynie follows his moral compass, but he still struggles with self-doubt and the fear of judgment.
Themes
The testing room is lined with desks, and it has a sign that reads, “NO TALKING. IF YOU ARE CAUGHT TALKING IT WILL BE ASSUMED YOU ARE CHEATING.” There are only two available desks left, and to ensure he won’t be tempted to cheat, Reynie chooses to sit in front of Rhonda. The pencil-like test administrator goes over the rules. From this moment on, she says, the children must not talk. Reynie raises his hand and wordlessly requests to sharpen his pencil, which the administrator allows. Once he is seated, she continues explaining that each child must write their name at the top of the test, read all the questions and answers carefully, circle the correct answer, bring the completed test to her, and sit until all the tests are graded. To pass the test, the children must correctly answer every question.
Reynie is self-aware enough to recognize that he might be tempted to cheat, so he chooses the seat in front of Rhonda. The sign in the testing room and the instructions of the administrator continue to insist upon the test’s specific and strict instructions. Even the process of taking the test, which might seem self-explanatory, is specified in detail by the administrator. The fact that the children must answer each question correctly is another reminder that the tests are seeking unusually gifted children.
Themes
The test administrator distributes the tests. As the children before Reynie receive theirs, several burst into tears and a few of them look nauseous. A handful of panicked children give up entirely and leave the room. When the administrator gives Reynie his test, he sees that the questions are impossibly difficult. Still, he is determined not to quit before he has tried, so he writes his name on the test. The second instruction was to read all the questions and answers carefully, so he goes through the test and reads each page. As he reads, Rhonda finishes her test. He realizes that her flashy appearance and casual attitude are a strategy to hide her cheating: since most people would assume a cheater to be stealthy, she is calling attention to herself on purpose. He is a little jealous that Rhonda will get to move on to the special opportunities.
Before Reynie gets his test, he is confronted by the horrified reactions of the other children. He does not allow their reactions to dissuade him from trying his best, however, even once he sees that the test is seemingly impossible. This hints that his self-doubt might not be as pervasive as Reynie himself feels it is. He approaches the test methodically and according to the instructions. His understanding of the strategy Rhonda employs to cheat demonstrates Reynie’s natural understanding of people and their behavior, though he is not immune to petty emotions of his own, like jealousy.
Themes
Reynie continues to read through the test, even though he is running out of time and has yet to answer a single question. Once he gets to question 21, however, he realizes that the answers to the previous questions are hidden in order in the later ones. The answer to question 1 is revealed in the text of question 21, and vice versa, and that trend continues for the rest of the test. Reynie quickly flips through the test, answering all of the questions. He finishes just in time, and he is the only child besides Rhonda who is not in distress once the administrator calls that time is up.
Reynie does not panic, even as time is running out. He sticks to his method, intent on seeing it through to the end, and this level-headedness is rewarded. He discovers that the exam is not a test of random trivia, but a puzzle––and Reynie knows how to solve puzzles. Though he may not possess every scrap of knowledge, his observant nature, problem-solving skills, and ability to think critically put him ahead of his peers.
Themes
The administrator grades the tests, and while she is marking Reynie’s, Rhonda congratulates him on managing on his own. The administrator announces that she will read the names of those who pass and may continue to the third stage of testing. She calls Reynie’s name, and then again says, “That is all.”
Rhonda reveals that she, like the test administrator, has hidden depths. She cheated on the exam, but she is earnestly proud of Reynie for taking the test without her help. The test administrator also continues her pattern of strange behavior, reading a list that contains only one name and ending it with the same phrase as the first test: “That is all.” The abnormality of the tests is further compounded by the fact that Rhonda did not pass, despite assuring Reynie that she had all the answers.
Themes
