Monsters: A Fan's Dilemma

In the prologue, Dederer sets out to write an “autobiography of the audience” (14). Do you think that Monsters achieves this goal? Why or why not? Cite specific examples from the text to support your argument.

In the context of Dederer’s metaphor of Biography as “Stain,” consider an artist important to you that might fit into the category of Dederer’s “monsters.” Write an essay considering your relationship to that artist and their work, and how you navigate the challenge of consuming art made by someone with a problematic biography.

Dederer struggles with the word “we” throughout the text, expressing an aversion to it at the same time that she uses it frequently. Discuss Dederer’s use of “we” in the context of the book’s central tension: Objectivity Versus Subjectivity in Art Consumption.