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Chapter 37. The Before
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Monday’s Not Coming, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Child Abuse
Family, Community, and Responsibility
Growing Up, Independence, and Friendship
Secrecy and Shame
Poverty, Social Support, and Desperation
Memory, Repression, and Trauma
Summary
Analysis
Claudia used to think that March was her favorite month. Her birthday’s in March, as are Easter and Good Friday sometimes. April was supposed to be born in March, but she was born on April Fool’s Day instead and hasn’t stopped lying since birth. She’d be gold if she were a color. She’s like jewelry; people form her into different shapes and are drawn to her beauty. But when April’s not quite gold, she “can turn your skin green.”
By comparing April to the color gold, Claudia suggests that April isn’t really her own person—she’s whatever other people want her to be. Again, while Claudia doesn’t question why this might be, it’s worth considering that April is living in the same abusive household that Monday is and thus may be able to lie just like Monday for self-preservation.
Themes
