The Underland Chronicles
The Underland Chronicles is a five-part series of children’s books written by Suzanne Collins between 2003 and 2006. It tells the story of an eleven year old boy named Gregor and his adventures in a land hidden under New York City. The underland is inhabited by giant rats, cockroaches, rats, spiders, fireflies and other creatures.
The Series
Gregor the Overlander
Gregor the Overlander is the first book of the series. Gregor, an eleven-year-old boy from New York City, was doing his laundry with his two-year-old sister, Boots. The playful Boots was scurrying around, when she suddenly fell through a grate in the laundry room. As Gregor goes after her, he too falls through the grate, and find themselves in a mysterious place called the Underland. As soon as he lands, several over-sized cockroaches find the two siblings, and take them to the Underland city of Regalia. The Regalians recognize this young boy as a warrior that was prophesized to come by a man named Bartholomew of Sandwich, who also was the founder of the Underland.
In Regalia, Gregor meets a girl his age named Luxa, who is to be the queen of Regalia when she turns sixteen. Gregor also meets her cousins, Henry and Nerissa. He instantly dislikes Luxa and Henry for their mean attitude.
Gregor soon learns of a prophecy called the "Prophecy of Gray." According to the prophecy, ten Underlanders and two Overlanders (as the people on the surface were called) would set out on a quest to rescue an Overland prisoner, whom Gregor finds out is his long-lost father. Gregor decides to set out on this quest, taking Boots with him. The other members included the cockroaches Tick and Temp, the spiders Gox and Treflex, the humans Luxa and Henry, the rat Ripred, the bats Aurora (Luxa's bat) and Ares (Henry's bat).
The "questers" set out to rescue Gregor's father. After a long trip, Tick died in an attempt to save Boots. The questers continued their journey, but several of them were mourned at their loss. Treflex, whom they had first met in the middle of the quest, had also died.
They arrived at the place where Gregor's father was held. As they attempted to free him, an army of rats led by King Gorger made a last ditch effort to keep their hostage from being rescued. Gox died instantly when Gorger slashed her with his tail.
Henry was revealed to be a traitor to the humans. He had given the rats the location of the questers throughout the quest. Gregor realized that the prophecy called for four creatures to die, but only three had been lost. He thought that he was to be the final creature to die on the quest. He jumped off a nearby cliff with the rats following him. As Gregor was falling to his death, he noticed that Henry had also pursued the warrior over the cliff. As Ares the bat swooped down, Gregor assumed he was saving Henry. But instead, he caught Gregor, letting Henry die a painful death.
When the questers arrived at Regalia, Ares was put on trial for his betrayal of his human bond, Henry. When the court was about to announce him guilty, Gregor made a quick decision, and Gregor and Ares became bonded to each other. Gregor and Boots were sent back to the Overland, with their father in their company.
Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane
After having left the underland with his father to the overland, they made up a story about their disappearance. Then Gregor notices that, while in the park, Boots disappears down a manhole. He goes after her and reappears in the underland where he learns that he has another prophecy to fulfill. This time he has to go on a quest to destroy an evil white rat that may lead to the destruction of the other underland species. He goes on the quest with Boots, Temp, Luxa (who was not supposed to be there in the first place), Aurora, a rat called Twitchtip, Mareth, Mareths bond Andromeda, Luxa's cousin Howard, Howard's bond Pandora, and two shiners (fireflies) called Photos Glow-Glow and Zap. They sail over the waterway. Pandora discovers a small island, but as she is coming back she is eaten by bugs. Sometime afterwards, the two fireflies betrayed the group because they didn't have enough food (as fireflies are big eaters). They left and told the rats of the group's location in exchange for food. The rats woke up the serpents when they found out that the group was coming for the Bane. In this process Twitchtip's nose is injured, making her unable to smell the bane. After the fight with the serpents, Boots, Luxa, Temp, and Aurora are seperated from Gregor. Gregor also learns that the Bane is actually a baby and gives it to Ripred to take care of him. Gregor is then put on trial and found innocent. At the end, he finds that Boots is alive, but the location of the rest of his group was unknown.
Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods
Gregor is up for many nights, waiting for news from the underland. His family is happy once more, and although they have some financial difficulties, they have survived for almost half of the winter. When Gregor finally finds a note while doing errands for Mrs. Cormaci one day, Gregor returns to the underland with his dad. They meet Ripred at the front of the tunnel. When he hears that Gregor's mother would not allow him to return, Ripred told Gregor that he would only have to go to the meeting that they were holding. Ripred also told him that Temp has returned to Regalia, but no others. He also tells the warrior of a terrible plague that has swept through the land. Many rats were dying, and only three people in Regalia were infected. Those three had been quaratined.
Gregor tells his mother of his plans, but she does not allow it. But after hundreds of rats swarm into the apartment building, she agreed to let him and Boots go, as long as she goes with them.
In the underland, Gregor soon finds out that Ripred had lied to him, and learns that he is expected to save the people. He is reluctant to do this, until he finds out that his bond Ares was one of the infected people. When he gets to Regalia, he also finds out that Howard and Andromeda are the other infected creatures. His mom continues to disprove of his inevitable quest until she becomes infected with the plague. So Gregor and Boots immediately set out for the cure, a plant located in the perilous Vineyard of Eyes. The queen Nerissa informs them that they will meet a guide at the entrance to the jungle where the vineyard is located.
Ripred, Temp, a bat named Nike, and two rats named Mange and Lapblood accompany the warrior and Boots. Upon reaching the jungle, they meet a Regalian named Hamnet, who is the son of Vikus, and Hamnet's halflander son Hazard, along with their lizard Frill. These three people guide the troop through the jungle.
They meet their first trouble when they run straight into quicksand. Luxa, who had been missing, appeared, but did not attempt to help her friends, believing that Gregor had joined the rats. Hamnet (Luxa's uncle) appeared in time to save Gregor and his gang. When they were back at camp, they explained the problem in Regalia to Luxa, who apologized for misjudging them. While she was missing, Luxa and her bat Aurora had been cared for by mice.
They set out once more, now accompanied by Luxa and Aurora. They eventually came to the Vineyard of Eyes, where they found a large amount of the cure, starshade. But as they were collecting the plants, an army of red ants appeared. Although they fought, the starshade field was destroyed, and Hamnet died along with his lizard, Frill. Hazard is saddened, but agrees to come to live with Luxa and be the sibling she never had.
Temp realizes that the prophecy did not refer to the Vineyard as holding the cure, but instead it said Regalia was the makers of the plague, and therefore had the cure. When they returned to Regalia, the doctor Nevevee was revealed to have been the one to make the plague. But Solovet also seemed to want the plague as a weapon against the rats, and had made a secret organization to make it. Nevevee was executed, and Solovet was trialed.
Gregor is told his mother must remain in the underland for a long time. Ares appeared to be healing, as did the other patients. Gregor and Boots returned to the overland without their mother.
When Gregor goes to do chores for Mrs. Cormaci back in the overland, she gives him a birthday present, as Gregor had his twelfth birthday while on his quest. The present is a brand new pair of sneakers, but Gregor is reluctant to try them on, since he would have to show her the sandals that he received in the underland. Gregor sees that he has no choice but to tell her about the Underland.
Gregor and the Marks of Secret
This book picks up soon afer the end of Gregor and the Curse of the Warmbloods. Gregor's mother is still recovering from the Plague in the Underland hospital. He and Boots make regular trips to visit with her and to spend time with Luxa, Hazard and the other Regalians. His battle training with Ripred continues, Gregor is still inexperienced when fighting in the dark, and he soon learns of a surprising turn of events involving Bane, the white rat whose life he spared at the conclusion of "Gregor and the Prophecy of Bane." While at Hazard's birthday party,the nibblers send the crown Luxa gave to them for their help. Gregor and Luxa try to find the nibblers, but find the colonies deserted. So Gregor, Luxa, Howard, Boots, Temp and Hazard go through Hades hall to try to find them. They learn that the Bane, the rats leader, is planning to kill the nibblers and had imprisoned Ripred. They free him and witness the death of many nibblers because of toxic gas. Due to the nature of the Bane, and the genicide of the mice by toxic gas, it seems to be an alegory of the Holocaust. Then, they realize that a child's song that Boots was singing was a prophecy. They named that the prophecy of secrets. Then, a volcano erupts, killing Hazard's future bond Thalia. After that, Luxa and Ripred go to help the nibblers fight off the rats. Gregor goes to Regalia to fight with them and get Sandwichs sword. The book ends with them mentioning the 'Prophecy of Time' and a war starting.
Throughout the book, Gregor's relationship with Luxa grows, and they both take a liking to each other. At the beginning, during Hazard's birthday party, he dances with Luxa, and it he starts to think about how she is pretty. Later, while the two were riding on a bat, Luxa laid her head on Gregor's shoulder (much to Howard's dismay) for the duration of the trip.
Gregor and the Code of Claw
Code of Claw is expected to be released 2007. It will be the last book in the series. It is said to be a book about the last prophecy, the Prophecy of Time.
The Underland
The Sections
There are several sections in the Underland. The areas are each controlled by separate species. The sections that belong to the humans, the cockroaches, the Dead Land (a land that is uninhabitable) as well as several other sections. In "The Curse of the Warm Bloods", Gregor sees a map of the Underland. Also, in the Marks of Secret Luxa oftenly mentions the Uncharted Lands (Lands that have not yet been explored).
The Creatures
There are many creatures in the Underland. All are enormous versions of different species of animals and bugs that can be found on earth. There are rats, spiders, lizards, cockroaches, fireflies, bats and others. The bats have special bonds with certain humans that imply that they will help each other through life and death. In one of the books, when the bat Ares does not save his human, Henry, he is tried. Gregor, attempting to save his life, bonds with him and saves him.
When a human bonds with a bat, they are together forever. The punishment for forsaking a bond is banishment, which, in the Underland, soon means death. To bond with one another, the human and bat must recite a poem to their future bond. The poem is similar to this:
Ares the flier, I bond to you
Our life and death are one,we two,
In dark,in flame,in war, in strife,
I save you as I save my life.
Gregor the human, I bond to you
Our life and death are one,we two,
In dark,in flame,in war, in strife,
I save you as I save my life.
The Government
The government of the humans is a monarchy. It is ruled by a king and a queen. In the underland chronicles, Luxa is the queen. There is a representative government that Gregor attends. It is made up of various representatives for the various species.
Locations
- This is an incomplete list.
Regalia
Gregor first lands in the city of Regalia, where the humans reside. It is heavily guarded and is ruled by a council until Queen Luxa becomes sixteen years old.
The Fount
This is where Luxa's cousins live. They are without royal blood unlike Henry and Nerissa. There is also a colony of nibblers that live here.
The Dead Land
This is an unhabitated place in the rats' land.
The Jungle
This is a vast jugle where the plants are very deadly and seducing. Gregor went through this horriffic place to the Vineyard of Eyes to collect Starshade, the fake cure in book three.
Hades Hall
Gregor enters this place when an avalanche cuts them off. He and his friends must go this way to go back to Regalia.
The Uncharted Lands
Luxa thinks in the fourth book that the rats will force the mice to live here. These are areas that have not yet been explored
Firelands
This is where the rats kill many mice. It is also the home of strong currents that can carry extremely heavy objects (such as boulders) in mid-air, several volcanoes, and lots and lots of ash.
Waterway
This is a vast, turbulent river that leads to a miniature ocean. Along this river is an island that had insects which ate Pandora and wounded Ares.
Main Characters
- Gregor: Gregor is a twelve-year-old overlander (11 in book one) who accidentally found the Underland while chasing his baby sister Boots around the laundry room. He is the warrior that is described in Bartholomew of Sandwich's prophecies. Although he is reluctant, Gregor eventually accepted his duties to the Underland. Over the year that he has spent in the Underland, he has bonded with his own bat, Ares, fulfilled several prophecies, and developed a crush on Luxa, the queen (a relationship that Howard, Luxa's older cousin, highly disapproves of). He is also a rager, meaning that, when fighting, he will uncontrollably kill. Although he states the he hates fighting, Luxa saw him smiling during a fight with twisters (snakes).
- Luxa: Luxa is the future queen of Regalia. She is the same age as Gregor and will become the queen when she becomes sixteen years old. Until then, Regalia is led by a council. Luxa is a wise leader, but can be mean towards others. This changed, however, after the conclusion of Gregor the Overlander, when she took a more positive attitude to her companions. Although she is rash at times, she can also love, and feels indebted to the nibblers (the Underland word for mice) for their hospitality. She has vowed to protect the nibblers, even going as far as declaring war on the gnawers (the Underland word for rats). She is currently going to find the nibblers with others.
- Ares: Ares was the bond of Henry, one of Luxa's cousins of royalty. After Henry betrayed the gang in the first book, and jumped of the cliff in stupidity, Ares chose to save Gregor from dieing instead of his bond. In Regalia, he is trialed and was going to be sent to the Dead Land if it weren't for Gregor. He bonded with Ares to save him because he knew that Ares did not know anything about Henry's plot. In the third book, he gets the plague.
- Boots: Boots is Gregor's baby sister. She is loving to everyone, even to the enemies. Like many babies, she is completely oblivious to circumstances, such as someone dying. She has also developed a friendship with the crawlers (cockroaches) and stingers (scorpions). She is often referred to as the "Princess" when talking to the crawlers.
- Temp: Temp is Boot's probable best friend to her in the Underland, appearing in every single book, and questing every time as well. Temp is extremely loyal to Boots, as shown in the second book, where he defends her from the Sea Serpents, then saves her life in the Dead Land. During the third book, he was, as Ripred put it, a "real champ about baby-sitting", and he even flew into Frill's face, to get Boot's ball back.
- Ripred: Ripred is a gnawer who seems to be one of the only one on the side of Regalia. Although many creatures hate him for his mean spirit, Ripred shows much wisdom in time of need. He is a great fighter, and, like Gregor, is a rager. He gives Gregor lessons on echolocation, the skill of locating something using sounds, to learn to fight in the dark. He is with Luxa and trying to help the mice.
- Howard: Howard is Luxa's older cousin from the Fount. His father is in charge there. He was introduced to Gregor in the second book with his younger siblings. Luxa did not like them, but eventually realizes that Howard is a great comrade. On the quest to find the Bane, Howard's bond Pandora was killed. Howard got the plague in the third book, but after getting the medicine for a few weeks, he bounced back quickly. Now he is working in the hospital to help others who have the plague. After the second quest he has been on(the first, on the quest to kill the Bane, the second to find the nibblers and help them), he joins Luxa and Ripred with Aurora and Nike to find the nibblers.
Other Underland Creatures
(Note: These are only the creatures listed in the books.)
Humans
In the Underland Humans are also known as "Killers," although they do not like to be addressed as that.
- Regalians
- Luxa
- Vikus
- Solovet
- Mareth
- Henry(Deceased)
- Hamnet(Deceased)
- Nerissa
- Neveeve(Deceased)
- Dulcet
- Hazard
- Miranda
- Perdita
- Keeda (Deceased)
- Anchel (Deceased)
- Daphne (Deseaced)
- From the Fount
- Howard
- Stellovet
- Hero and Kent
- Chimney
- Susanah
- Overlanders
- Gregor
- Boots
- Grace
- Gregor's dad
- Mrs. Cormaci
- Gregor's Grandmother
- Lizzie
- Larry
- Angelina
- Mr. Otts
Cockroaches
Cockroaches are known as "crawlers" in the Underland.
- Tick(Deceased)
- Temp
- Pend
Rats
Rats are known as "gnawers" in the Underland.
- Good Rats
- Ripred
- Twitchtip(Location unknown)(scent-seer, went on the quest to find the Bane)
- Razor(Deceased) (The Bane's main baby sitter, was killed by The Bane over a crawler carcass.)
- In Between Rats
- Mange(Deceased)
- Lapblood
- Sixclaw (Pup of Lapblood)
- Flyfur (Pup of Lapblood)
- Makemince
- Goldshard(Deceased) (the Bane's Mother)
- Bad Rats
- Fangor(Deceased)
- Shed(Deceased)
- King Gorger(Deceased)
- Snare(Deceased) (the Bane's Father)
- The Bane (calls himself Pearlpelt)
- Twirltongue (The Bane's loyal friend/Persuasiveness trainer)
- Gushgore (Twirltongue's friend)
- Reekwell (Twirltongue's friend)
Bats
Bats are known as "fliers" in the Underland
- Bonded bats:
- Ares (First to Henry, then to Gregor)
- Aurora (To Luxa)
- Euripedes(To Vikus)
- Andromeda (To Mareth)
- Pandora(Deceased,but to Howard)
- Ajax(To Solovet)
- Non-bonded bats:
- Nike
- Queen Athena
- Thalia (Was to bond with Hazard, but deceased)
- Hermes (Not known if bonded)
- Icarus (deceased, not known if bonded)
Other creatures
- Lizards - Called "hissers".
- Frill (Deceased)
- Fireflies - Called "shiners".
- Photos Glow-Glow
- Zap
- Ants - Called "cutters".
- Moths- Called "eaters".
- Spiders - Called "spinners".
- Gox (Deceased)
- Treflex (Deceased)
- Queen Wevox
- Purvox
- Plesiosaurs - Called "serpents".
- Mice - Called "nibblers"
- Cartesian
- Cube (deceased)
- Heronian
- Cevian (deceased)
- Scorpians - Called "stingers"
- Snails - Called "slimers"
- Snakes - Called "twisters"
- poisons frogs - encountered in the jungle
- the humans keep cattle and sheep.. cattle are mentioned in book one or two and in book four Luxa mentions having had a pet lamb once
Halflanders
A halflander is a person who was born to an underland parent with an overland spouse. The only known halflander is Hazard, the son of Hamnet.
Prophecies
Bartholomew of Sandwich
Sandwich is an explorer that was the first European to discover the underland. He was a prophet and carved all of his prophecies on stone in a room. He is the one that wrote the prophecies that Gregor must fulfill.
The Prophecy Of Grey
The prophecy of gray states that a quest must be fulfilled in order to save the underland from utter destruction. It introduces the warrior, "a son of the sun", who is Gregor.
Beware Underlanders, time hangs by a thread,
The hunters are hunted, white water runs red.
The gnawers will strike to extinguish the rest.
The hope of the hopeless resides in a quest.
An Overland warrior, a son of the sun,
May bring back us light, he may bring back us none.
But gather your neighbors and follow his call
Or rats will most surely devour us all.
Two over, two under, of royal descent.
Two flyers, two crawlers, two spinners assent.
One gnawer beside, and one lost up ahead.
And eight will be left when we count up the dead.
The last who will die must decide where he stands.
The fate of the eight is contained in his hands.
So bid him take care, bid him look where he leaps,
As life may be death and death life again reaps.
What it Means
First stanza: Line 1: A warning. "Time" means "Time to live." Line 2: Two rats (hunters) were killed (hunted), and when they put the bodies in the (white) water, the water turned red. Line 3: The rats will attack to kill all the humans. Line 4: The quest to save his father will be the only hope for the hopeless humans.
Second stanza: The Warrior is Gregor, and he is the son of his father and an Overlander, making him a “son of the sun.” “Light” and “life” are interchangeable, so “he may bring us back life, he may bring us back none." But follow him are the rats will kill everyone completely.
Third stanza: Two Overlanders (Gregor and Boots), Two Underlanders (Luxa and Henry, who are both from the royal family), two bats (Aurora and Ares) two cockroaches (Temp and Tick), two spiders (Gox and Treflex) must all agree to come on the journey. One rat (Ripred) and one lost up ahead (Gregor’s father). If you total up all of these, you get twelve, so four of them will die (Treflex, Tick, Gox and Henry).
Fourth stanza: The fourth and final one who would die had to decide where he stood. This was Henry, who decided to stand with the rats. He didn’t take care, he didn’t look where he leaped (the big pit), so his life turned out to be his death and and King Gorger’s death reaped much life in the Underland.
The Prophecy Of Bane
The prophecy of Bane states that a new leader of the rats may be emerging and that the warrior must lead a quest to stop him. The warrior, Gregor, tries to kill it but can't. Will the Warrior drain your light?
If under fell, if over leaped,
If life was death, if Death life reaped,
Something rises from the gloom,
to make the Underland a tomb.
Hear it scratching down below,
Rat of long forgotten snow,
Evil cloaked in coat of white,
Will the Warrior drain your light?
What could turn the Warrior weak?
What do burning gnawers seek?
Just a barely speaking pup,
Who holds the land of Under up.
Die the baby, die his heart,
die his most essential part,
die the peace that rules the hour,
gnawers have their key to power.
What It Means
If under fell, if over leaped: Henry fell to his death, while Gregor, thinking he was meant to die, leaped off the edge of the cliff.
If life was death, if death life reaped: This means the same.
Something rises from the gloom/To make the Underland a tomb: This most likely refers to the Bane, which will rise from underground where he has been hiding. He will try to make the Underland a tomb carrying on from Marks of Secret, where he is trying to persuade the rats to take over.
Hear it scratching down below: Gregor did when he was in the bowl with Ares.
Rat of long forgotten snow/Evil cloaked in coat of white: The Bane has a coat of white, and in this prophecy it gives a hint that he will turn out to be evil, which leads to the next line.
Will the Warrior drain your light?: This could mean A) What Nerissa said, that war would rage out if the Bane was killed, but it could also mean B) That in not killing the Bane, Gregor has put the Underland in danger because of the white rat's Evil side. (In the Underland, light is a symbol for life)
What could turn the Warrior weak?: Obviously, the thought of killing the Bane.
What do burning gnawers seek?: Again, the Bane.
Just a barely speaking pup/Who holds the land of Under up: This also refers to the Bane.
'Die the baby, die his heart/Die his most essential part: If the Bane dies, Gregor would feel guilty and saddened. He mistakes the baby for Boots, when she disappears with Luxa and Aurora, but later finds out that the baby is instead the Bane.
Die the peace that rules the hour/Gnawers have their key to power: Nerissa said that if the Bane was killed, the peace that "ruled the hour" would be gone, and the gnawers would be able to wage war on the underland for destroying their new leader. However, the gnawers may have their key to power in the Bane, who lived and in Marks of Secret persuades (from lessons with Twirltongue) them to drive all the nibblers out, and to try, probably, the humans eventually.
The Prophecy of Blood
Warmblood now a bloodborne death
Will rob your body of its breath,
Mark your skin, and seal your fate.
The Underland becomes a plate.
Turn and turn and turn again.
You see the what but not the when.
Remedy and wrong entwine,
And so they form a single vine.
Bring the warrior from above
If yet his heart is swayed by love.
Bring the princess or despair,
No crawlers care without her there.
Turn and turn and turn again.
You see the what but not the when.
Remedy and wrong entwine,
And so they form a single vine.
Those whose blood runs red and hot
Must join to seek the healing spot.
In the cradle find the cure
For that which makes the blood impure.
Turn and turn and turn again.
You see the what but not the when.
Remedy and wrong entwine,
And so they form a single vine.
Gnawer, human, set aside
The hatreds that reside inside.
If the flames of war are fanned,
All warmbloods lose the Underland.
Turn and turn and turn again.
You see the what but not the when.
Remedy and wrong entwine,
And so they form a single vine.
What It Means
Warmblood now a bloodborne death/Will rob your body of its breath/Mark your skin and seal your fate/The Underland becomes a plate: All of this stanza is referring to the plague that in infecting the Underland.
Turn and turn and turn again: Once in the Vineyard, the travelling group must turn three times, therefore facing Regalia where the cure is.
You see the what but not the when: They know what the plague is, but not when it was started.
Remedy and wrong entwine: Neveeve set the plague on the humans by accident, but she also has the remedy for the cure.
And so they form a single vine: Which is Dr. Neveeve.
Bring the warrior from above/If yet his heart is swayed by love: To bring Gregor back into the Underland.
Bring the princess or despair/No crawlers care without her there: Gregor must bring Boots into the Underland, because the crawlers must come on the quest for the remedy but will not do so without Boots along.
Those whose blood runs red and hot/Must join to seek the healing spot: The warmbloods must travel together to find the cure for the plague, in the Vineyard.
In the cradle find the cure/To that which makes the blood impure: They will find the cure to the plague where it was made.
Gnawer, human, set aside/The hatreds that reside inside: The rats and humans must keep peace.
If the flames of war are fanned/All warmbloods lose the Underland: The cure will not be found and the Underland will not be saved if war breaks out.
Prophecy of Secrets
Dancing in the firelight
See the queen who conquers night
Gold flows from her hot and bright
Father, Mother, Sister, Brother
Off they go, I do not know
If we will see another
Catch the nibblers in a trap
Watch the nibbles spin and snap
Quiet while they take a nap
Father, Mother, Sister, Brother
Off they go, I do not know
If we will see another
Now the guests are at our door
Greet them as we have before
Some will slice and some will pour
Father, Mother, Sister, Brother
Off they go, I do not know
If we will see another
Symbology
In the fourth book, Gregor and the Marks of Secret, there is a very noticible link between it and Nazi Germany. For one thing, The Bane parallels Adolf Hitler in the sense that they are both intent on killing of a certain group; for Hitler it was Jews and for The Bane it was mice. In addition to that, both The Bane and Hitler were able to rally full support for their cause.
Another link between the content of Gregor and the Marks of Secret and Nazi Germany is the method of torture used by both the Rats and the Nazis. Both the Rats and Nazis used poisonous gases to their advantage, for the Nazis it was in concentration camps and for the Rats it was the Firelands.
More references:
- Hermes, the Messenger Bat - In Greek Mythology, Hermes is the messenger god. Hermes
- Nike, the bat princess who is first mentioned in book three - Also in Greek Mythology, Nike is the goddess of victory. Nike (mythology)
- Euripides, greek tragedian Euripides
- Pandora, greek figure in myth, as in Pandora's Box Pandora