What Happens After We Find the Monster?
All of these works explore how children deal with monsters that are part of their very existence. These monsters help the protagonists see what they have in their own lives and help them comprehend themselves in more complex ways than from the beginning of the stories. The various characters find themselves in a more peaceful place (not necessarily happier since A Monster Calls ends in death), accepting themselves and all of their complexities. By reaching this point, the child reader can find that it is easier to accept that dark part of themselves, the monster that lurks within them and that may make it out. The monster inside is not always something to be afraid of, but something that should be embraced and explored lest it fester and become worse. They can take many forms, both human and otherwise, but in the end they come from within the child itself and therefore are inherently human in their monstrosity.
With the monsters found, we are left with a few questions of what we can do now that we know where they come from. How can we helkp children deal with the monster(s) within them? This is by far the most complex question since dealing with monstrosity in humans is something that many try to stay away from and fear. But, what would happen if this monstrosity was normalized? Would children be able to understand more about themselves and grow up more adjusted to their feelings? These questions cannot be answered by this exhibit alone, but the examples presented through it hope to make more sense of it and provide some samples of how to interact with the monster in you.
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