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Chapter 8. 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 and Monday are in the library. Monday is aghast that Claudia doesn’t have a crush on any boys. Claudia is tired of talking about boys, but Monday is obsessed with them. To Claudia, boys are still “nasty and stupid.” Monday asks if there’s a girl Claudia likes and insists she’s just playing when Claudia is offended. Then, Monday says that her crush, Jacob Miller, sits next to her in history class. Jacob is the best-looking boy in school and knows it, which makes him cocky. Monday has loved him for years.
The difference in the girls’ interest in boys reflects that they’re at different stages in their sexual development and maturity. Claudia is, in many ways, still a child—boys are “nasty and stupid,” and thus not worth associating with. But for Monday, boys are exciting and desirable. And since the girls have very different things they want to talk about, this disconnect starts to cause a rift in their friendship,.
Themes
Monday says that she heard Jacob talking to a teacher about going to Banneker. It’d be awesome if they all went to Banneker—Jacob will play on the basketball team, and the girls will be on the dance team. She and Jacob will be “THE couple,” so it’s essential that they find Claudia a boyfriend. Claudia notes that Jacob and Monday don’t even talk, and Monday reminds Claudia that she’s supposed to be helping change that.
Monday doesn’t seem to see any issue with inviting a new person into her and Claudia’s dynamic. She may desire more friends in her life, and dreaming about Jacob may be the most effective way to get around Claudia’s insistence that it should just be the two of them.
Themes
Claudia gives Monday her essay to edit. As Monday reads, she stiffens. She snaps that Claudia has to be careful. They won’t get into Banneker, she warns, if they put Claudia “in the stupid people class.” Monday’s anger shocks Claudia and tears fill her eyes. With a sigh, Monday offers to rewrite the essay, which is what Claudia wanted in the first place. She reasons that the idea of going to high school with Jacob is driving Monday mad. Claudia hesitantly says that even if she doesn’t get into Banneker, Monday could go to high school with Jacob. But Monday reminds Claudia that they have a plan.
Though the specifics surrounding Claudia’s struggles with reading and writing are still unclear, what does shine through here is Claudia’s shame about being a poor writer. Both she and Monday seem to believe that whatever challenges that Claudia faces with writing makes her “stupid,” which likely increases her shame. Claudia offers to give Monday more room to be independent when she suggests that Monday can go to Banneker with Jacob without her. Monday’s refusal, though, shows that she’s just as committed to their friendship as Claudia is.
Themes
Little August calls for Monday and comes running in the girls’ direction, juice box in hand and his braids undone. He says happily that Ms. Paul gave him juice as Monday asks what happened to his hair. She pulls him into her lap and combs his hair. He cries in pain, but Monday snaps at him to shut up. When August asks to go swimming, Monday swats him and says he doesn’t swim. To Claudia, Monday and August’s relationship looks like “a mother-son dictatorship.” Monday finishes August’s braids quickly. Claudia, impressed, suggests that Monday could make money doing boys’ hair at school.
Here, Claudia express some discomfort with the way Monday talks to August when she describes their relationship as a “mother-son dictatorship.” The fact that Monday is seemingly mothering August may suggest that she has more responsibilities at home than most 13-year-old girls, and it also harks back to the earlier mention that Monday and August’s older sister, April, looked stressed and worn down and far older than a teenager.
Themes
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At school the next day, Monday gazes at Jacob and some other boys. Claudia is nervous and can’t believe Monday is going to do this, but Monday touches her intricate hairdo, reminds Claudia that this was her idea, and approaches the boys. She asks the boys if any of them would like their hair done for $7. A boy named Carl agrees. He reminds his skeptical friends that Monday is a girl, and her hair and August’s hair look amazing.
Claudia is generally hesitant to share Monday with everyone else. She may be nervous because of Monday’s end goal (wooing Jacob). But it also seems possible that Claudia is uncomfortable because she fears that if Monday asserts herself as a skilled braider, Monday will rise in popularity—possibly leaving Claudia behind as she climbs the social ladder at school.
Themes
Monday and Carl sit at a bench and the other boys stand in a semicircle around them. Shayla and Ashley stand nearby to watch. A half hour later, everyone is in awe of Monday’s work, and other boys ask if they can be next. Later that evening, Monday and Claudia enjoy a snack in Claudia’s makeshift tent. Monday reasons that she can do four boys’ hair per week and suggests that Claudia start doing people’s nails. They toast to their business partnership with Cokes.
Monday is making it clear that her braiding business doesn’t need to drive a wedge between her and Claudia. If Claudia starts doing people’s nails, they can use this collaborative business venture to deepen their friendship. Talking about this in Claudia’s tent, where the environment is cozy and familiar, speaks to the girls’ desire to keep things warm and friendly between them.
Themes
Monday and Claudia decide to change into sweats and go watch a movie. Monday pulls her sweater off and Claudia’s mouth drops open at the sight of a huge purple bruise on her back. Monday looks terrified. After almost a minute of silence, she says she fell out of bed—she sleeps “crazy” after all. This is a lie; Monday always sleeps like a rock. Claudia shakes her head, says, “Again,” and suggests that Monday move to the bottom bunk.
This bruise seems likely to be one of the red flags that Claudia admits she missed in the “October” chapter. A bruise like this is concerning, especially when the explanation for how Monday got it is clearly a lie. Claudia shows that she’s ignored bruises like this before when she says “again”—meaning that Monday’s bruises are relatively common.
Themes
Monday’s bedroom is a mystery to Claudia. Whenever Claudia asks Monday to describe it, Monday gives a vague answer and insists it’s not big enough. Claudia imagines it as big, with cream and pink furnishings and an iPod speaker. She’s not sure why—maybe she just wants what’s best for Monday.
The aside about wanting the best for Monday suggests that Claudia is, on some level, aware that Monday’s home life isn’t good. Imagining the best for her is an act of love—but by showing Monday her love in this way, Claudia also chooses not to act on possible signs of abuse and neglect.
Themes
Monday asks what movie Claudia wants to watch and suddenly things are back to normal. Claudia wonders how she could not believe Monday’s explanation. Monday’s her best friend and if she’s lying, she must be lying for a good reason—right?
Here, Claudia explains why she ignores signs of abuse and neglect. She trusts Monday completely, and she specifically trusts Monday to only lie if she has a “good” reason. It doesn’t seem to occur to Claudia that Monday might be lying out of shame, and that to Monday, this is a good reason.
Themes
