Chapter Twenty-Five: The Artist's Childhood, the Owl, and the Mural That Saved Him

Spoiler Notice

This summary and analysis of Chapter Twenty-Five (Chapter 26 of the book) contains major plot details about the artist’s past and the turning point in his life. If you prefer to read the chapter fresh, please do so before proceeding.

Summary

The chapter opens with a meditation on why some fourteen-year-olds feel suicidal. The artist—never named here—grew up with a depressed mother who spoke little and a father who, when drunk, called him an accident. His mother often told him to “be normal.” At school he was bullied for drawing naked men with wings. A new art teacher, cruelly nicknamed “the Owl” after Joar’s taunt, singles him out for humiliation. The teacher bans his hood, confiscates his pencils, and forces him to draw under rigid rules. When the artist cannot draw a box, the Owl mocks him in front of the class. The artist flees; the teacher grabs him, and the artist breaks free, causing the teacher to fall. The teacher claims he was attacked. Joar smashes the classroom and runs after his friend, but the artist has disappeared. Hours later, the friends find him with the janitor painting a huge mural on the gymnasium wall. Seeing the artwork, Joar embraces him and says, “Now you know that you don’t want to die.”

Key Events

The narrative contrasts the artist’s depressed mother and drunk father, showing a childhood of neglect and silence.
In eighth grade, a new art teacher (the Owl) turns art into mechanical exercises, punishing the artist for being creative.
Joar defends the artist by loudly mocking the teacher’s appearance, coining the nickname “the Owl.”
The teacher retaliates by humiliating the artist’s drawing in front of the class, calling it mediocre.
The artist stops eating and shrinks into himself; his friends notice but cannot reach him.
After being ordered to draw a box, the artist freezes, flees, and is grabbed by the teacher; he breaks free and runs.
Joar fights his way out of the classroom and searches for his friend.
The friends find the artist painting a large mural on the gym wall with the janitor’s help.
Joar’s joyful response: “Now you know that you don’t want to die.”

Character Development

The artist: evolves from a silent, scared boy to someone who, for the first time, creates art without shame. The mural is his breakthrough.
Joar: shows fierce, protective loyalty. He fights the teacher and classmates, and later understands that the mural proves the artist has found a reason to live.
Ted: prays to the demons in his friend’s head, revealing his deep desperation and belief that only supernatural mercy can save the artist.
Ali: remains less visible but is part of the search; the group’s solidarity is clear.
The Owl: embodies how adults can abuse authority. His systematic cruelty nearly destroys the artist’s spirit.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

The monster on the lungs: a metaphor for depression and anxiety the artist cannot describe.
The glass bubble / shadow person: represents the mother’s mental illness and how it isolates her from her son.
Drawing naked men with wings: the artist’s subconscious desire for escape and transcendence; his only means of expressing his difference.
The box: symbolizes the impossible constraints of “normal” schoolwork. The artist cannot draw a box without feeling trapped inside it.
The mural: a literal and symbolic release—wings painted on a wall, reclaiming art as freedom and joy.
Friendship as salvation: Joar, Ted, and Ali’s search and the moment of recognition affirm that connection can counter the worst inner demons.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is the emotional core of the story. It provides the artist’s full backstory, explaining why he is so fragile and why his friends have fought so hard for him. The mural scene marks a turning point: for the first time, the artist’s art is not a source of pain but of pride. Joar’s line—“Now you know that you don’t want to die”—names the existential crisis directly and suggests that the friends’ love and recognition can be as powerful as the demons. The chapter also critiques how educational systems and cruel adults can destroy creativity and self-worth.

Study Questions and Answers

Why does the artist struggle to draw a simple box in art class?
The artist cannot draw a box without first feeling trapped inside it. His mind works by drawing the world around an object, not the object in isolation. The rigid instruction crushes his creative process and makes him physically ill with anxiety.
How do Joar and Ted each respond to their friend’s despair, and what does this reveal about their characters?
Joar responds with external aggression—yelling at the teacher, fighting classmates, and smashing chairs. He uses his own boldness to deflect attention from the artist. Ted responds with internal desperation, praying to the demons to show mercy. This shows Joar’s protective, confrontational nature and Ted’s belief in a spiritual battle.
What does the mural on the gym wall represent for the artist and his friends?
For the artist, the mural is the first time he paints freely and without shame, using his talent to create something beautiful that expresses his inner world. For his friends, it is a visible proof that he has found a reason to live, confirming that his creativity and spirit have not been extinguished.