Monument 14

“Somehow, just writing something down makes anything that happens seem okay.”

Journaling during the crisis makes Dean feel better. Writing is a way for Dean to connect to himself and self-actualize, which he continues to do throughout the novel.

“I don’t know what she read on my face. Probably that I was totally hers. That I loved her with everything worthy inside me.”

Astrid holds sway over Dean; his crush on her is one of his character’s primary drives in the novel. Since they belong to different social strata, however, the two have never dated. 

“The black cloud was growing and growing, this ball of nighttime spreading out over the horizon.”

This is an example of the figurative language used in the novel. The “ball of nighttime” is evocative of the feeling of darkness and despair that overcomes the students during this experience. 

“I closed my eyes and listened to my heart beating. It was loud, like I had the heart of a gorilla.”

Here, Dean comes down off of the effects of the chemicals. He attacked Alex, connecting to his animalistic instincts. This is the first time Dean becomes out of control. 

“How screwed up is that; me trying to kill Alex had now become a common reference point in all of our lives.”

Dean reflects on how the chemicals’ effects have become normalized. The group accepts that Dean and other O-types become violent and filled with rage when exposed to the chemicals. Dean’s previously-close relationship with his brother begins to shift. 

“You know, you’d think that being locked in a Greenway during the end of the world would bring out the best in everyone, but—surprise!—Brayden was still an a-hole and a bully.”

These lines illustrate Brayden’s character. He often teases other students, especially Dean, and thus solidifies his position as a dominant male on the social ladder. He also serves as a relatively static character, providing counterbalance to the dynamism and growth in other characters.

“Josie tucked Henry’s sleeping bag in around his shoulders and kissed Caroline on the forehead. Josie was a natural.”

These lines characterize Josie as a nurturing, maternal figure. In the female social construct, being a caretaker is one of the primary roles in the group. 

“But a week can change everything and now I was going to read a poem.”

This is a moment of self-actualization for Dean. He decides to read a poem, despite the possible ridicule he will receive from Brayden and Jake since writing is not considered a sanctioned masculine pursuit. 

“Lunch: Pizza. Cook: me. Excited about it: no.”

These lines exemplify the voice of Dean. He is observant and puts a humorous spin on the situations he finds himself in.

“Sahalia skulking around our perimeter, pissed off at everyone; and Josie being the loving mother to her large brood.”

These lines provide descriptions that are emblematic of these two characters. Sahalia usually avoids group activities and Josie acts as a nurturing mother. 

“I’d seen him laugh. In a mean way. But this was something new. This, I realized, was the smile he gave girls.”

Dean comments on Brayden’s appeal. He reserves a specific smile for girls, which wins their affections and further solidifies his position as a dominant male in the group. 

“Astrid was hiding in one of my food aisles. And I had seen her topless. I hated myself for it, but I had.”

Here, Dean has been transfixed by Astrid’s partial nudity. He feels guilty for spying on her, but his desire for her demands that he look at her body. He is caught between the desire to do the right thing and respond to his hormones. 

“To Niko, a really good guy, even if he is a Boy Scout.”

Group dynamics shift after the woman outside the store dies. Niko, Dean, Brayden, and Jake all drink together and joke together. Brayden’s tone is less antagonistic, and he beings to consider Niko as closer to his own level. 

“I was loose. I felt big, like I could say what I really felt. I was drunk.”

When Dean drinks, he becomes more aggressive and feels as if he can assert himself. He stands up to Jake, the dominant male in the group, and calls him out for his treatment of Astrid.

“WHANG WHANG WHANG went the pulse of a dagger-tip pain at the bridge of my nose.”

Dean contends with a hangover the morning after he drinks with the other boys. Here, he has started to indulge in vices, like Brayden and Jake, and he feels the after-effects. In turn, he loses sight of his purpose in the group.

“Feel that? Them’s the guns what wrought such wreckage.”

Jake demonstrates his physical prowess and dominance. He flexes his muscles after he beats up Dean, demonstrating that he is the physically-superior male. 

“I need you to stay one of the good guys.”

Astrid discovers that Dean spied on her with Jake in the kitchen. She has previously seen Dean as a “good guy,” but his behavior makes Astrid question this characterization.

“Our whole universe has changed in just a few hours.”

These lines point to the shift within the group that occurs with the men’s arrival. It is enough to throw off balance and order, and Robbie’s actions go on to significantly damage the group’s integrity. 

“Sometimes, when you’d least expect it, the grief would chop your legs out from under you.”

Dean is overwhelmed by the drawings in Niko’s bunk. They reveal a deeper, artistic side of Niko, with which Dean connects, making him reflect on the state of the world since the natural disaster and toxic-chemical leak.

“Again, again, again, like always, I was bowled over by my brother’s brilliance.”

Dean is impressed by Alex’s intelligence when he creates the video walkie-talkies. Throughout the novel, Dean is depicted as stable, while Alex is shown as highly intelligent.

“You don’t get to decide who goes and who stays! […] Who lives and who dies!”

Robbie becomes angry with Niko and questions his authority when Robbie is told to leave. These lines relate to the male power dynamics in the book: Niko is in charge and controls Robbie’s fate, a situation Robbie rails against.

“As bone weary as we all were, only Sahalia, Jake and Alex could sleep.”

This is an example of the metaphorical language used in the text. “Bone weary” summons the idea of being extremely tired and also physically damaged down to the bones, as the boys are when they fight.

“Brayden shot and Mr. Appleton dying and all I could think of was that perfect eyebrow.”

Dean’s fixation on Astrid remains a significant element of his character trajectory. Even with all the violence around him, he is still focused on the physicality of the girl he loves.