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
The hungry children are finally served dinner in a dining room full of crowded bookshelves. Rhonda explains that being hungry is part of the test, since they need to see how the children behave when they are tired and irritable. She happily remarks that the children did brilliantly, though Sticky is still embarrassed about his performance in the maze. Rhonda comforts him, revealing that she completed the maze test when she was a child and had significant trouble. She says that Mr. Benedict designed the maze to thwart any tricks. Reynie asks who Mr. Benedict is, and Rhonda tells the children Mr. Benedict is the reason they are all together.
The fact that Rhonda completed the same test as a child indicates that Mr. Benedict has been running his tests for some time, and evidently has yet to find what he is looking for. He alone designed the maze, and he did so in a way that prevents any tricks, proving that he must be incredibly intelligent. Rhonda brings this up to comfort Sticky, who once again is feeling insecure about his abilities.
Themes
Rhonda tells Sticky that she took more than an hour to finish the maze test, but she still passed. The test administrator, who Reynie thinks of as “pencil woman,” enters the dining room and remarks that Rhonda is the most gifted child to ever take the tests. Rhonda replies that the pencil woman is the most gifted one who took the tests, which makes the pencil woman blush. Kate interrupts to ask when they can meet Mr. Benedict, and the pencil woman says that he is ready to see them now. Rhonda asks about “the other one,” and the pencil woman notes that there has been a delay. Before the children can question this, Rhonda and the pencil woman usher them into Mr. Benedict’s study.
The adults have a history that the children do not know, further indicating that the children are entering a pre-existing team. The discussion between Rhonda and the test administrator, or the pencil woman, reveals that they are both much more intelligent than an ordinary person. Their initial appearances do not make this intelligence obvious, which speaks to how a strange appearance can conceal hidden depths.
Themes
The study, like every room in the house, is full of books. Mr. Benedict emerges from a pile of books, revealing himself to be a friendly, unkempt old man with messy white hair and a green plaid suit. He shakes each of the children’s hands, greets them by name, and congratulates them on doing so well on the tests. He asks Number Two––the pencil woman, who only goes by her codename––to meet Milligan and “our missing young friend.” As Number Two departs, Mr. Benedict offers to answer any of the children’s questions, so Kate asks who they are waiting for. Mr. Benedict answers that they are waiting for Constance Contraire, a fellow test-taker who brought 37 pencils to the first exam and answered all the test questions with rude remarks.
Like the other adults in his group, Mr. Benedict has an unusual appearance that highlights his disconnect from conventionality. Number Two and Milligan also reject traditional forms of naming, which further marks them as nonconformists. Mr. Benedict is surrounded by books, which underscores his love of learning, and he shows respect for the children by greeting them individually. The repeated references to “the other one” and “the missing young friend,” as well as Sticky’s earlier recollection about a small girl who passed the first test with him, are revealed to refer to Constance Contraire. Though Constance has yet to appear, Mr. Benedict’s description makes clear her differences from the other children: she does not share their earnestness or courtesy, and she has no regard for rules.
Themes
Mr. Benedict reads some of Constance’s test answers to the other children, and her quips make him laugh so hard that he falls asleep. Rhonda catches him and rests him in a chair. She assures the children that Mr. Benedict is fine, and he wakes up a few moments later. Mr. Benedict tells the children that he has narcolepsy, which Sticky correctly defines as “a disorder characterized by sudden and uncontrollable attacks of deep sleep.” Mr. Benedict tells them that his narcolepsy is triggered by strong emotions. This is why he wears green plaid––the pattern calms him. He continues describing Constance’s test-taking: on the second test, she ignored all the questions and wrote a poem about the test being absurd. Sticky asks how Constance passed the test without answering the questions, and Mr. Benedict just says, “There are tests, and then there are tests.”
Mr. Benedict is good-natured, and he doesn’t take himself or his tests too seriously. He is so amused by Constance’s witty rebukes that he triggers his narcolepsy. This condition can be a seriously disruptive disability, but Mr. Benedict has learned to manage it. He shows no frustration or resentment for the fact that he cannot control his narcolepsy; he simply accepts it as an aspect of who he is. He also trusts Rhonda and Number Two to help him when he falls asleep, which speaks to the bond the three of them share. His remark about tests also confirms that the tests the children faced were multifaceted, and they tested the children’s character more than their knowledge.
Themes
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Constance comes in with Milligan and Number Two, but she is so tiny that the other children almost don’t notice her. Number Two tells Mr. Benedict that Constance sat down and had a picnic instead of finishing the maze. Constance refuses to apologize, and Mr. Benedict says that he wouldn’t ask her to. He introduces her to the other children, and she glares at them fiercely. Once they are settled, Mr. Benedict grows solemn. He explains that the children will not be rewarded for passing the test with a pleasant education. He has run the tests for years, hoping to form a team of children for an “urgent project.” He has yet to assemble a team because he needs children specifically, and the people who pass his tests grow up too quickly.
Constance Contraire asserts her personality as soon as she enters the room. Not only has she flouted Mr. Benedict’s tests, she also aggressively refuses to apologize for doing so, and she refuses to greet the other children. This introduction characterizes her as belligerent, ill-mannered, and contrary (in keeping with her name). Mr. Benedict accepts this about her, assuring her that he does not expect her to apologize for her behavior. He makes no attempt to control her, since she makes clear she will not be controlled. Nevertheless, he believes she can help his “urgent project.”
Themes
Mr. Benedict divulges that the project is a dangerous mission that might put the children’s lives at risk. He hates the notion of endangering children, and he asks the children to guess why he would act against his beliefs. Reynie guesses that Mr. Benedict will only put the children in danger if he believes they will be in more danger if he doesn’t. Sticky is visibly nervous, and Mr. Benedict assures him that he will not be forced to join the team; he only asks that Sticky hear him out. Sticky agrees, and Mr. Benedict asks the children to guess what they all have in common. Constance guesses that they all passed the “boring tests,” Kate guesses that they’re all gifted, and Sticky guesses that they’re all children.
Mr. Benedict makes clear that he hates putting children in danger. He believes that children should be safe and protected, but a team of children must risk their safety for the sake of his plan. This sets in motion the journey the children will undertake throughout the story, as this lack of protection forces them to grow up quickly. When Mr. Benedict asks the children to guess what they have in common, their answers provide insight into their characters. Constance’s disdain for “boring tests” highlights her disagreeable nature, Kate’s assertion that they are all gifted speaks to her air of confidence, and Sticky’s simple guess that they are all children demonstrates his uncertainty and practicality.
Themes
Reynie guesses that all four children are alone. He reasons that the newspaper ad was addressed to children, not parents, and at the Monk Building, many of the children who passed the first test came by themselves. He knows that he and Kate are orphans, so he guesses that Constance is, too. Reynie can tell Sticky has been hiding something, which suggests that Sticky might be alone as well. Sticky is shocked, and Mr. Benedict tells him that he is willing to break his policy against taking in runaways if Sticky wants to join the team. If Sticky wants to leave, Mr. Benedict promises that he will help him get off the streets. Mr. Benedict praises the children for their gifts and ingenuity, and he acknowledges that they are all alone. This prompts such pride and sympathy in Mr. Benedict that he falls asleep.
Like the other children’s guesses, Reynie’s guess speaks to his character: he is perceptive, insightful, and emotionally intelligent. He knows that all four children are alone, which establishes the importance of their budding friendships. He has also noticed that Sticky is hiding something, which prompts Mr. Benedict to reveal that Sticky has run away from home and lives on the streets. Mr. Benedict also promises to help Sticky if he turns down the team, which suggests that Mr. Benedict’s claim about wanting to protect children is true. He feels so strongly about the children’s situation that his emotions trigger his narcolepsy.
Themes
Reynie is used to ignoring loneliness, but the sincerity of Mr. Benedict’s emotion makes Reynie miss Miss Perumal. Mr. Benedict wakes up, and after Rhonda and Number Two help him to his feet, he mentions that his narcolepsy is usually triggered by laughter. He continues to explain that he needs the children for his team, and although he hates putting them in danger, the children are “our last possible hope […] our only hope.”
When Mr. Benedict demonstrates sincere care for him, Reynie immediately thinks of Miss Perumal, which highlights the strength of their bond. Mr. Benedict describes the children as the world’s “last” and “only” hope, which introduces the theme of hope. Hope of the children’s success drives Mr. Benedict to recruit them, despite the danger. Although the situation is dire, he has not given up hope, so he still believes in the children’s power to help.
Themes
