The Monstrumologist Choices

Sartre once said, "We are our choices," and we're pretty much in agreement on that one. The choices we make say a lot about who we are, what motivates us, and what we hold to be important. (That Sartre must've been a pretty smart guy.) And in the case of the characters in The Monstrumologist, the choices they make can be pretty revealing about their inner workings—and in some cases they can have disastrous consequences. As Kearns makes clear, the Anthropophagi aren't the only scary creatures around.

Questions About Choices

1. What are some of the choices that Will Henry has to make? What patterns emerge and what do they tell us about his character?
2. If Captain Varner really is on death's threshold, why can't Dr. Warthrop put him out of his mercy? Does his decision make him feel even guiltier? Explain your answer using evidence from the text.
3. Why does Will Henry choose to stay with Dr. Warthrop? Is it an easy decision? Why or why not?
4. Does Malachi have a choice whether or not to "go down with the ship" when he tries to kill the matriarch Anthropophagus? What does this say about him?

Chew on This

In The Monstrumologist, there is always a choice in anything that anyone does.

In The Monstrumologist, sometimes there is no choice, just the momentum of the moment.