The members of the Madman Underground may have some serious issues, but one thing's for sure—they're some of the most loyal fictional characters you'll come across. Throughout Tales of the Madman Underground, they have each other's backs; because they know each other's dirt, they know how to protect their own. They're also super loyal to their parents, no matter how messed up their home situation might be. Consider yourself warned—don't risk taking on one of these teens because you'll have to deal with all of them as a result. And the results can be pretty ugly. Don't believe us? Just ask Harris and Tierden.
Questions About Loyalty
- The Madmen's home lives seriously stink—and yet they won't tell another adult or ask anyone outside of their group for help. Why is it better for them to continue living in these situations than get help? Is it better? Do you think they do the right thing by not telling anyone?
- What do you think of Karl's plan to be an informant for Gratz, which they discuss at the end?
- The main conflict Karl faces is whether to abandon the group to be "normal" or continue his Madman existence. How do the events of the five days in the story move him toward a decision, and why?
- What's the deal with Squid and Karl? What inspires their loyalty to each other in spite of Karl's bunny-murder episode?
Chew on This
The Madmen don't tell anyone about their own or each other's situations to avoid making a bad situation worse.
It would have been impossible for Karl to be "normal" even if he'd decided to stick with his plan.