Amanda Monk Character Analysis in All the Bright Places

Amanda Monk is one of the popular girls at Violet and Finch’s school. Before Violet’s sister Eleanor died, she was one of Violet’s best friends—but after this tragedy, Violet decided that she didn’t have much in common with Amanda. Amanda, who’s dating Roamer, seems like an antagonist for much of the novel. She and Roamer bully Finch incessantly, and Amanda also essentially tells Violet that she needs to get over Eleanor’s death. But Finch starts to realize that there’s more to Amanda when he runs into her at Life Is Life, a support group for teenagers who have attempted or are contemplating suicide. Amanda, Finch learns, struggles with an eating disorder and has tried twice to kill herself. She explains that she engages in bullying and gossip to remind herself that she’s in control. Amanda eventually shows that although she bullies others to make herself feel better, she doesn’t actually want to hurt anyone—concerned for Finch’s safety, Amanda lets Violet know that she saw Finch at the Life Is Life meeting. After Finch’s death, Amanda breaks up with Roamer and seems ready to resume her friendship with Violet in a healthier way.

Amanda Monk Quotes in All the Bright Places

The All the Bright Places quotes below are all either spoken by Amanda Monk or refer to Amanda Monk. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:

Mental Health, Stigma, and Suicide Theme Icon

“Why do you do that? Don’t you get tired of people talking about you?”

“Including you?”

She goes quiet.

“I do it because it reminds me to be here, that I’m still here and I have a say in the matter.”

She puts one leg in the car and says, “I guess now you know you’re not the only freak.” It’s the nicest thing she’s ever said to me.

Related Characters: Theodore Finch (speaker), Amanda Monk (speaker), Demetrius

Page Number and Citation: 286

Explanation and Analysis:

She looks at me. “In those moments, none of it matters. It’s like that stuff is happening to someone else because all you feel is dark inside, and that darkness just kind of takes over. You don’t even really think about what might happen to the people you leave behind, because all you can think about is yourself.”

Related Characters: Amanda Monk (speaker), Theodore Finch, Violet Markey

Page Number and Citation: 351

Explanation and Analysis:

Amanda Monk Character Timeline in All the Bright Places

The timeline below shows where the character Amanda Monk appears in All the Bright Places. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.

Community, Support, and Trust Theme Icon

...Violet, and she’s extremely popular; she dates people like Ryan Cross and hangs out with Amanda Monk, a “queen bee.” She’s not the sort of person one would expect to find... (full context)

...over the railing. The urge to jump passes. Finch laughs and imagines the look on Amanda Monk’s face if he were to fall—but his laugh makes him wobble. Suddenly, Charlie Donahue,... (full context)

When class ends, Roamer—surrounded by Amanda and Ryan—blocks Finch’s way. He accuses Finch of looking at him (they’ve been “sworn enemies”... (full context)

Language, Meaning, and Control Theme Icon

Then, Finch gets onto Facebook and finds Amanda Monk’s page. He searches her friend list for Violet and finds Violet Markey. Violet’s page... (full context)

Grief, Trauma, Purpose, and Survivorship Theme Icon

It’s Saturday night. Amanda invited Violet to a sleepover, promising it’d just be them and a handful of friends.... (full context)

Amanda waves at Violet, tells her they need to fix Violet’s hair (Violet recently gave herself... (full context)

...she should’ve let Finch jump after Finch threw the desk at him last year, and Amanda asks if Finch might like Violet. A year ago, Violet would’ve fit in at this... (full context)

...who speak their minds,” and Violet thinks she should be friends with them and not Amanda. Last year, she would’ve agreed with Jordan and her friends. But now, Violet tells her... (full context)

...Finch about making out with Roamer at a party over the weekend. (Though Roamer is Amanda Monk’s boyfriend, he’s also a jerk, and Brenda has loved him for years.) Then, they... (full context)

...any attention. To distract herself from the articles, Violet asks Ryan about his Indiana project. Amanda is the only other person in class ignoring her phone, and she asks Violet if... (full context)

...Violet hangs up. She’s seething when Ryan shows up. They walk to the drive-in, find Amanda and Roamer, and climb into Roamer’s Impala. As the movie starts, Ryan, Roamer, and Amanda... (full context)

When the second movie starts, Roamer and Amanda go to the front seat. Violet tries not to listen to their slurping sounds. She... (full context)

On the way to Violet’s house, Finch suggests epitaphs for people they know, like Amanda and Roamer. He asks what Violet’s epitaph would say. She says she doesn’t know, but... (full context)

...But as Finch runs up the stairs, he crashes into Roamer, who then bumps into Amanda. Finch continues to run until he gets to Violet. She’s angry and says he’s driving... (full context)

At lunch, Violet walks past Amanda and Roamer’s table in the cafeteria. Violet turns and asks to join Brenda, the three... (full context)

...to her board for Germ and writes in their wandering notebook. She writes about hearing Amanda’s older brothers talk about girls—they said that girls who have sex are “sluts,” but those... (full context)

...feel true as her dad asks about Finch and the belltower. He says they called Amanda, and she mentioned that Violet saved Finch on the belltower. Violet’s mom says that they’re... (full context)

...Brianas, and Lara, inviting all of them to contribute. Though Violet drafts an email to Amanda too, she doesn’t send it and deletes it in the morning. (full context)

After breakfast with her parents on Saturday, Violet tells them she’s going to Amanda’s house. They ask no questions, and Violet bikes to Finch’s house instead. They have sex... (full context)

...problem that she’s late as she sits and pulls off her hat and mittens. It’s Amanda Monk. Demetrius calls her Rachel and asks her to introduce herself. She says she’s bulimic... (full context)

Finch asks if Amanda still thinks about killing herself. Amanda admits she does and asks if Finch was really... (full context)

After U.S. Geography, Amanda comes up to Violet and says she has to tell her a secret. Violet sighs... (full context)

...back and forth, and Violet says that all of this is perfect. She thinks that Amanda must’ve been wrong; telling her about Life Is Life was supposed to upset her. As... (full context)

...is a better friend than Eleanor was. Concerned, Finch pulls Violet close. Violet says that Amanda told her about Life Is Life and the hospital, and she admits that she’s worried.... (full context)

On Saturday afternoon, Amanda stops by and asks to hang out. She and Violet play tennis in the street,... (full context)

...cemetery in town. Violet remembers that Finch wanted to be cremated. Everyone is crying, including Amanda, Ryan, and Roamer. Violet stands next to Brenda and Charlie, and her parents are nearby.... (full context)

...with Brenda, Lara, and the Brianas at lunch, and a few days after Finch’s funeral, Amanda sits down at the table and offers her condolences. She also says that she broke... (full context)

...before she has to leave the gym and vomit into a trash can. She discovers Amanda sitting nearby and joins her. (full context)

After a minute, Violet asks Amanda what goes through a person’s mind when they think about killing themselves. Amanda says she... (full context)

Later that night, Violet meets Brenda, Charlie, Ryan, and Amanda at the Purina Tower. At the top, they light candles and talk about Finch. Brenda... (full context)