Skellig (so far) Discussion by Beth B

thoughts so far

bedib — 2025-09-02 12:13:36 UTC

So far, from what I have read in 'Skellig', family serves as a source of tension, and conflict, but I guess it will also probably eventually be about support? Right now, at the beginning, Michael's parents are distracted by his sister's illness and they seem to not pay him any attention. I didn't like the scene where they were making fun of his dad and calling him fat. It kind of reminded me of teasing in my own family about weight issues. :(

Angel numbers

2025-09-08 13:29:27 UTC

27: spiritual growth, divine presence, rewarding efforts

53: personal growth, positive changes, taking leaps of faith, life changes, creativity, self-expression

Tension and conflict

2025-09-08 13:30:55 UTC

Michael's parents are very focused on the baby and not as much on Michael and his feelings. His parents get annoyed when Michael asks questions. Michael is scared for his sister's health, but gets brushed off by the grown-ups in his life.

Negative

2025-09-08 13:31:13 UTC

Micheal gives quite a negative connotation about Falconer Road, starts with the house looking like a horror house and the garage like a demolition site. He also got quite annoyed with the contractor, Micheal gives of a negative feeling about the house in the beginning of the book.

2025-09-08 13:31:34 UTC

number 27, selfless service, the narrator helps (gives food) to mr.nobody blz 54

53 sign of positive change, personal growth and divine guidance.

and there are numbers of the dishes micheal brings mr.nobody.

Food items

2025-09-08 13:31:45 UTC

They're just items from the Chinese restaurants menu, Bird man with wings orders it because he heard the previous owner of the house order them.

2025-09-08 13:32:02 UTC

I would describe Michael as thankful, respectful, and with a new look on the life ahead of him.

(if I remember correctly :) )

The mood of the garage

2025-09-08 13:32:33 UTC

The description of the garage was mysterious, spooky, erie. We can see this in the word use at the beginning of chapter 1. It was described as dark, gloomy, dusty, dirt inside and cold. These words indicated that the author wants to create a dark, mysterious atmosphere at the beginning of his story, for the reader to feel intruiged to keep reading.

2025-09-08 13:33:01 UTC

Michael the Archangel

Negative, yucky, eeyuagh

2025-09-08 13:33:13 UTC

Covered in cobwebs, dirty, it's like it's going to cave in any second. They refer to it as "the wilderness".

scary and mysterious

2025-09-08 13:33:24 UTC

Mood here is kinda scary and mysterious. The house and garage are old and falling apart which is creepy. Michael sees a weird creature and thinks it’s dead which makes him nervous.

Baby = demon?

2025-09-08 13:34:04 UTC

The book calls it "flamming"

Dangerous connotation

2025-09-08 13:34:14 UTC

The garage gives quite a dangerous and negative connotation as it is described as a ‘demolition site’ or ‘rubbish dump’ and is really dirty and a general scary place which the parents warn not to enter.

2025-09-08 13:34:35 UTC

His feelings are negative; a lot is going on in their lives, such as moving to a new house and a new environment. Michael does not want to accept these new changes

2025-09-08 13:35:15 UTC

tension and conflict, because the baby sister is sick and they moved into a new house which needs a lot of work and they cannot manage everything at once. this causes tension between the parents. and the mother spends most attention to the baby. Micheal is a bit neglected.

Pessimistic

2025-09-08 13:35:36 UTC

Everything he describes, whether that is school, his house, his family or the move etc. is negative. An example is that he tries to bond with his father by staying home and helping him, but refrains when he notices that his father isn't as interested as he is.

2025-09-08 13:36:41 UTC

Michael goes from being pessimistic and confused in the beginning to relieved and having clarity on the situation at the end.

2025-09-08 13:36:50 UTC

very gloomy, everything is broken. it sounds like a creepy basement. it feels like it reflects the neglect of Michael and isolation.

2025-09-08 13:38:55 UTC

It definitely has a familial aspect as the mother is stuck in the present (the baby), the father is stuck in the future (preparation for familial house) and Michael is stuck in the past (Arthur, Ernie Meyers, questions about the house and evolution).

Other then that they are all connected by the baby who keeps them together even though they are all focussed on other things.

The meaning of the word ‘Skellig’ means ‘steep rocky island, small or strap area of rocks’ which could insinuate all of the obstacles that the family has to go through and pass and avoid before they read their goal, before they become a family again that is not stuck in different parts of time.

2025-09-08 13:41:15 UTC

annoyed, gloomy and lost.

He calls the backyard the wilderness and he called the baby "the flaming baby". he also calls the doctor "doctor death"

He uses the word death in combination with describing his sister and the surrounding aspects (doctor death).

foggy headed

2025-09-08 13:41:16 UTC

At the start, Michael feels worried confused and a bit lonely? He doesn’t like moving misses the old house. He’s worried about his baby sister..she’s sick. Feels a bit on his own cuz parents are busy. Curious too where he notices weird things in the garage. Frustrated sometimes with school.

2025-09-08 13:41:17 UTC

I have noticed that in the book they mention birds a tonne as well as the colour black. From the baby's hair being black to mina's hair being black to blackbirds, crows, the black suit the being in the garage wears. This could be a symbol for the negativity surrounding the situation. Birds are also often associated with bad omens (aka death)

The books is both religious and down to earth. (Angel wings and humanity)

2025-09-08 13:41:31 UTC

2025-09-08 13:42:55 UTC

in a way reborn, enlightened, thankful, clarity in his way of thinking and viewing the world

2025-09-08 13:43:17 UTC

Michael is more positive, thankful, and respectful. He has grown as a person