Erasure

Content Warning: This section of the guide discusses racism, anti-gay biases, and suicide.

Monk gets a call from his agent, who is frustrated after reading My Pafology. The agent says that he gets that it is parody but that publishers will be offended. Monk tells him to send it out anyway, and if publishers do not understand the satire, it will be their fault.

Monk works on his carpentry, making a nightstand for his mother, and he feels like his sister is watching him as he works. Simultaneously, he thinks of Foucault’s theories on language. He recalls that when he was a teenager, he was playing basketball and thinking about Hegel’s theories on history. His teammates mocked him about it.

Later, he speaks to Bill on the phone and asks for financial assistance for their mother’s care. Bill says his salary is not even enough for him. Bill suggests firing Lorraine and selling their mother’s house to raise some money. Monk hangs up.

The next morning, Monk’s agent calls and tells him he sent My Pafology to Random House, and that they offered $600,000 for it. Monk cannot believe it.