Essay Questions

Why does the narrator depict the children of Herdman as the worst kids?

According to the narrator, the Herdman children are the worst in history because they lack morals and manners. The narrator remembers an incident during Christmas when the Herdman kids came and spoilt the event. The Herdman kids are six in number, and a single mother who never cared for their discipline raises them. Some of the worst behaviors of the six kids include smoking, stealing, cursing others, bullying fellow children, and even destroying and burning people's property.

What is the symbolic meaning of the pet cat?

The pet cat symbolizes the people's thoughts toward the family of Herdman family. The pet cat is ferocious with a scary look. When the mail person comes to deliver mail, he sees a sign, which says that outsiders should be aware of the cat. After reading the post, the mail carrier sees a scary and dangerous creature coming. Therefore, he fears confronting the cat and walks away without delivering the mail. Therefore, the cat shows that people do not like interacting with the family of Herdman because of their vicious behavior.

Does religion's complacency emerge as the main theme?

Religion's complacency is the primary issue that cuts across the novel. The narrator talks about Christmas day and its routine celebrations that must be done every year. Children know that there must be Christmas day towards the end of the year, and they prepare for various performances to be staged on that day. However, the narrator stresses that people have forgotten the significance of Christmas and have majorly focused on celebrations. Christmas is an important day when Jesus Christ is born, and people should know that Christmas is the day of renewal and confession.