Essay Questions

Do you support the author’s assertion that most challenges facing adults started at childhood?

David is the main protagonist of this story, and he demonstrates that childhood lays an essential foundation in one's life. David was the only child who was given love and all the attention, but he grew lonely and disturbed. David did not want to associate or play with other children. The only person David shared about his joys and fears is his aunt Mae. David had a cold relationship with his parents and all people around him. When he became an adult, David was not social, which made it difficult for him to marry. Consequently, most of the tribulations David went through in his adult life started when he was a young child. The reader's lesson is that the environment one grows in plays a significant role in his adult life.

What is the main cause of David's mother's lunacy?

David's mother is not strong enough to withstand the loss of her husband. When her husband dies, she becomes crazy and sick for the rest of her life. Any person who is not strong enough to cope with life challenges is likely to become mad. David is also not a healthy person because of his vulnerability. David does not want to look at his crazy and sick mother anymore. When David's mother dies, David also becomes crazy and kills the preacher who comes to help him organize how the mother should be buried.

What is the central motif in 'The Neon Bible'?

Anxiety is the main motif in this book because the main character, David, has lived in fear throughout his life. David grew only knowing three people, his mother, father, and Aunt Mae. David did not associate with other children, and he preferred staying alone. Anxiety made David face life with fear, and that is why David was never successful. For instance, David found it difficult to associate with the woman he loved very much because he did not have the confidence to do so. At last, David was driven to madness by his fear of life when he killed the preacher who had come to help him bury his mother.