As you've probably noticed, there's a lot of anger, violence, and abuse in Tales of the Madman Underground. But as bad as the home lives of these kids are, there's a lot of compassion in the mix, too. Within the circle of the Madmen, the students keep each other's secrets and forgive each other's wrongs, even if dead bunnies are involved. Outside of the group though, the biggest act of forgiveness we see is Karl's unconditional love for his mother, even if she hasn't done a single thing to deserve it. The book is ultimately about Karl's journey to find the ability to appreciate the faults in others and forgive them, learning to live with the good and let go of the bad.
Questions About Compassion and Forgiveness
- How would you deal with Karl's mom if she were your mom? Go ahead, you can be honest. We won't judge you.
- Where does Karl get the strength to repeatedly forgive his mother no matter how much she wrongs him? Is this a trait he gets from one of his parents or his friends?
- What does Karl's experience with Hairball teach him about forgiveness?
- If you had a friend who was in a situation like what many of the Madmen face, how would you respond? Would you compromise your friend's trust by telling an adult, or would you keep the secret even if it meant further abuse? Why?
Chew on This
Responding to his mother with kindness is one way that Karl copes with his difficulties.
Ultimately, Karl and his mother are struggling with the same issue of who they are supposed to be in his father's absence.