Skellig Themes

The characters in Skellig often find unexpected strength in moments of infirmity and frailty. When Michael finds Skellig (an ailing creature hidden in his new garage), the creature’s resignation to his own weakness and decrepitude plays into Michael’s own feelings of hopelessness and weakness. As the novel progresses, however, Michael begins to find surprising forms of strength when he least expects it, as he comes to see that standing strong in the face of hardship…

Throughout Skellig, nature increasingly becomes an outlet for Michael. When Michael meets Mina—the homeschooled girl who lives next door—she teaches him to look more closely at the things around him: to listen for the blackbird chicks in their nest and to notice the colors in the blackbird’s feathers. In short, Mina teaches Michael that nature is not always as it appears. At first, curiosity into nature provides Michael a distraction from his…

Reality and dreams intermingle throughout David Almond’s Skellig. When Michael first discovers Skellig—the sickly creature lurking in his family’s garage—he cannot believe what he has found and thinks he must be dreaming. Michael is thrilled when his new friend Mina can also see Skellig, because this assures him that he is not dreaming; however, dreams and reality continue to blend as Michael and Mina interact with Skellig. Often, it is unclear whether they…