Chapter 34 Summary: “The Monster” — August 21, 2019

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

In this first-person chapter, the narrator—now identified as Violet Hildreth—delivers a lyrical, confessional account of her origins and upbringing. She begins by describing herself as coming “from the belly of the snake” and “the dark side of the moon,” tracing her lineage to her grandmother’s gin still and the Templeton family, whom she calls a line of drunks and “inferior specimens.” She declares herself poison, and she connects her existence to electricity, a rabbit shot and revived, and the loneliness of a girl watching rain from a window.

Violet then recounts a pivotal memory: being held down by leather straps in a dark room in the B West wing of the Hillside Inn, where she received 150 volts of electricity to the head. She was “shocked to death” and then brought back to life, and she claims to have visited the other side and returned. This experience, she says, gave her a strong heart and a unique perspective.

The chapter shifts to her grandmother’s teachings. Violet recalls that Gran constructed an entirely invented life for her: imaginary parents who never existed, a car crash that never happened, and a brother who was actually a stranger. Gran taught her anatomy, from the smallest cell to the largest organ, and made her memorize scientific names for everyday things like the maple tree (Acer saccharum), the mouse (Mus musculus), and juniper (Juniperus communis). She also taught her practical medical skills: drawing medicine into a needle, making surgical incisions, and stitching wounds.

Most disturbingly, Gran taught Violet how to make a killing jar and how to put sick creatures out of their misery, calling her “the God of Rodents.” Gran repeatedly told Violet she was special and instructed her on how to live among humans as a monster hiding in plain sight. The chapter ends with Violet affirming that she remembers all of this—the lies, the lessons, and the identity she was given.

Key Events

Violet reveals her full name and her connection to the Templeton family.
She describes her near-death experience from electroshock in the B West wing of the Hillside Inn.
She discloses that her grandmother fabricated her entire family history, including imaginary parents and a false brother.
Gran’s medical and scientific training of Violet is detailed, including anatomy, surgical skills, and euthanasia techniques.
Violet is taught to see herself as a monster and to hide that identity from the world.

Character Development

Violet Hildreth emerges as a deeply conflicted narrator. She accepts her monstrous identity but also expresses a longing for connection, as seen in her wish for a sister or friend. Her voice is poetic and self-aware, yet she is trapped by the lies her grandmother imposed on her. The chapter reveals her as a product of Gran’s manipulation, but also as someone who has survived a literal death and rebirth, giving her a sense of uniqueness and isolation.

Gran is portrayed as a controlling and deceptive figure. She is not only a teacher but a fabricator of reality, shaping Violet’s entire worldview. Her lessons in medicine and euthanasia suggest a cold, clinical approach to life, and her insistence that Violet is “special” borders on a god complex. Gran’s influence is both nurturing and destructive, leaving Violet with skills but also a profound sense of otherness.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Poison and Snake Imagery: Violet describes herself as poison and coming from the belly of a snake, symbolizing her perceived inherent danger and her connection to deception.
Darkness and Entrapment: The dark room in B West, the leather straps, and the killing jars all evoke confinement and the inability to escape one’s fate.
Resurrection and Electricity: The electroshock experience is framed as a death-and-rebirth, linking Violet to themes of resurrection and the unnatural.
Family Legacy and Alcoholism: The Templeton line is described as drunks and imbeciles, suggesting a hereditary curse that Violet cannot escape.
Monster Identity and Hiding in Plain Sight: Violet is taught to live as a monster disguised as human, exploring themes of deception and the performance of normalcy.
Medical Knowledge and Euthanasia: Gran’s teachings about killing jars and putting creatures out of misery raise questions about mercy, power, and the value of life.
Loneliness and Longing for Connection: Violet’s wish for a friend or sister underscores her isolation, even as she claims to be special.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter is a turning point in the novel because it finally reveals the narrator’s true identity and the source of her trauma. It explains the mysterious references to the Hillside Inn, the electroshock, and the “monster” that has been hinted at in earlier chapters. Violet’s account of her grandmother’s lies and teachings provides crucial backstory, showing how she became the person she is. It also deepens the novel’s exploration of identity, memory, and the ways we are shaped by those who raise us. The chapter sets up Violet’s motivations for the events that follow, making it essential for understanding the rest of the story.

Study Questions and Answers

1. What does Violet mean when she says she comes from “the belly of the snake”?

Violet uses this metaphor to describe her origins as something poisonous and deceptive. She links herself to her grandmother’s gin still and the Templeton family, implying that her very nature is tainted by her lineage. The snake imagery also suggests cunning and danger, aligning with her later description of herself as a monster hiding in plain sight.

2. How does Gran’s teaching of medical skills and killing jars reflect her view of Violet?

Gran’s lessons in anatomy, surgery, and euthanasia show that she sees Violet as a tool or experiment rather than a normal child. By teaching her to make killing jars and to put creatures out of their misery, Gran instills a cold, utilitarian view of life. Calling Violet “the God of Rodents” gives her a sense of power but also dehumanizes her, reinforcing the idea that Violet is different from ordinary humans.

3. Why does Violet say she has been “to the other side” and back?

Violet refers to her experience of being shocked with 150 volts of electricity, which she describes as being “shocked to death” and then revived. This near-death experience gives her a sense of having seen something beyond life, and it contributes to her feeling of being special and separate from others. It also ties into the novel’s themes of resurrection and the supernatural.