48 pages • 1 hour read
Elana K. Arnold, Illustr. Charles SantosoA Boy Called Bat
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2017A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
The Complexities of Siblinghood
Bat and Janie have a complex, stereotypical relationship for siblings. Sometimes, they get annoyed with each other or fight, and at times, they get along and support each other. Between their differing personalities, interests, roles, and communication styles, they often struggle to see eye-to-eye, but they both learn to consider the other’s perspective and find their own ways of expressing affection for each other.
Janie and Bat’s differing personalities, interests, roles, and communication styles make it difficult for them to find common ground. Janie is creative and outgoing. She loves to sing, and is excited to audition for her school’s rendition of Alice in Wonderland. On the other hand, Bat is reserved. He likes learning about animals, and devotes himself to learning about skunks and taking care of Thor. The siblings do not understand or enjoy each other’s interests. They also struggle to communicate clearly. When Janie expresses her preference for theater over animals, Bat calls her opinion “stupid.” Bat also offends Janie when he says she is “good at whining” when Janie decides to audition for the role of the Queen in the play (122). He doesn’t mean to offend Janie, but Janie interprets his remarks as rude. In both instances, Bat is corrected by their mother, and although he tries to explain himself, his perspective is ignored. Valerie’s preference for Janie’s communication style adds another layer of complication to the siblings’ relationship, as mother and daughter communicate this during one dinner and a hurt Bat overhears them. Valerie’s expectations of her children also result in contention, as she gives Janie, the older of the two, authority over Bat. Janie sees the role as an annoying responsibility, but Bat views it as Janie’s job, as obligatory. These contentions are attributed to the typical complexities of siblinghood, rather than any neurological differences between the children. The difficulties in their relationship are meant to make the characters relatable to young readers, many of whom have siblings they may struggle to get along with.
Bat and Janie have three main scenes in which their relationship strengthens. When Janie tells their mother that she can’t always pretend Bat isn’t “weird,” Bat is offended, but as he reflects on the comment, he realizes that Janie is weird, too. Before this moment, he had thought of himself as the “weird” sibling and Janie as the “normal” sibling. Through this realization, he sees that everyone does things others might find strange. This scene not only strengthens Bat’s understanding of his sister, but helps him accept himself. While at their father’s, Bat braids Janie’s hair. The experience makes Bat feel close to his sister, and he learns that he can communicate with his sibling and show affection without speaking. This nonverbal communication method is easier than talking, since the two of them have stark differences in their linguistic styles. Later, Janie is impressed that Bat sought advice from a skunk expert on his own. She recognizes her brother’s courage, and supports him in his efforts to keep and care for Thor. Bat and Janie, like stereotypical siblings, annoy and fight with each other, but always find ways to connect and support each other when the occasion calls for it. This relationship is inspirational, as it imparts the message that siblings can find ways to overcome their differences, bond, and support each other.
Compassion in the Classroom
Most children spend large portions of their days in school. To effectively learn, children need to feel safe, comfortable, and respected in their learning environment, and each child has a unique opinion of what constitutes a good classroom. For example, Janie thrives in her public elementary school, where she has a close friend in Ezra and her beloved extracurricular activity—theater. Bat, meanwhile, has different requirements for his learning environment. He prefers the smaller class sizes and holistic approach of Saw Whet, and he especially appreciates his teacher, Mr. Grayson. Mr. Grayson, who ascribes to the holistic methods of Saw Whet, manages his classroom on the principle of compassion. He uses compassion in his treatment of the children, such as allowing them bodily autonomy, and thus creates a safe learning environment in which his students feel comfortable.
Bat appreciates Mr. Grayson for a number of reasons: “[H]e lets kids eat snacks at their desk” and go to the bathroom without his permission, and doesn’t force his students to apologize, rationalizing that “You can’t make someone be sorry” (52). Bat’s favorite characteristic of the classroom is that the students are allowed to take short breaks and visit Babycakes, the class pet, as needed. By allowing these liberties, Mr. Grayson shows the children compassion. Traditional classrooms stereotypically have more structure and fewer allowances. Pedagogical approaches to teaching often propose that children need heavily structured environments with strict rules. They focus on the principle that children, being young, do not yet know what they need, so their behaviors and decisions need to be controlled and guided. Mr. Grayson employs a pedagogical approach in his actual teaching, but does not attempt to inhibit access to things the children need to feel physically and emotionally comfortable. He views children as capable of recognizing their own immediate needs.
Mr. Grayson’s compassionate approach to managing his classroom results in Bat’s complete trust of the teacher. The other students also appreciate Mr. Grayson’s compassionate management style. The children do not want to lose their rights by “overusing” them, so they respect the boundaries that come with Mr. Grayson’s leniency. Compassionate freedom without respect can lead to chaos. Arnold clarifies that for lenient rules to work, students must respect their boundaries; there must be some structure, such as when Mr. Grayson challenges Bat to wait before reading a much-anticipated email. Through her portrayal of Mr. Grayson’s classroom, she challenges the common opinion that children need constant guidance. She shows what a classroom based on compassion and respect, rather than rules and control, might look like.
The Human Need for Connection
The human need for connection is the central theme of A Boy Called Bat. The most prominent characters—Bat, Valerie, and Janie—all embody the theme through their behaviors and words. Bat’s character arc is based on his need for connection combined with his lack of self-acceptance; Valerie longs for a sense of connection between her and her son; and Janie, who has strong relationships with her mother and best friend Ezra, has a difficult time connecting to her brother.
Janie’s sense of connection is filtered through Bat’s perspective, which makes the portrayal of her feelings unreliable. She has one life-long friend and is shown having open dialogue with her mother, suggesting that she has strong relationships with Ezra and Valerie. Janie and Bat struggle to connect through much of the book, but their interactions are not shown from Janie’s perspective, making it difficult to determine her feelings. Valerie, on the other hand, alludes to her desire for connection with Bat through her dialogue, when she jokes about being jealous of Thor and when she and Bat talk about eyes. She understands that Bat has his own ways of connecting, but also feels that her needs are not being met. While she does try to satisfy these needs, she does not force them upon her son, instead prioritizing Bat’s needs and preferences. This not only characterizes Valerie as a loving and self-sacrificing mother, but highlights how everyone connects in different ways, and that to connect on a deep level, both individuals should be aware of each other’s needs.
As the protagonist, Bat and his need for connection drive the plot. Bat does not have any friends his age; he has a combative relationship with his sister, and does not display outward affection for people. He often seeks alone time and wants things his way, which makes it difficult for him to form deep connections with people. However, taking care of Thor forces Bat to adjust his thinking. He can no longer focus on himself; he must consider the baby skunk’s needs. By practicing with Thor, Bat learns to strengthen his human connections. Rather than focusing on Janie’s differences and annoying qualities, he realizes that her interests make her unique and lovable. Once he considers Janie’s perspective and learns to communicate with her, Bat feels a strong connection to his sister. Bat forms a new type of connection when he befriends Israel. He had never had someone his age with whom to share his special interests. Bat’s connections with Janie and Israel stem from self-acceptance—he finds his own ways to relate to Janie, and accepts the notion that Israel likes him because of his differences. Once he accepts himself, as someone likable in his own right, Bat addresses his mother’s need for reciprocal affection. Through her patience and encouragement of Bat, Valerie finds the connection she needs. The happy ending of the story is not necessarily the family keeping Thor—it is Bat finding the human connections he needs to thrive, just as all people need connections to thrive.
