marya was olethra's childhood idol and monty was maxwell's. hello. is anyone there. MARYA WAS OLETHRA'S CHILDHOOD IDOL AND MONTY WAS MAXWELL'S
the kid who dreamed of a life in the sky but who was told his place was on the ground, reading the books of an author who flew through the skies but always landed back down to earth to bring adventure to everyone else, who cared about sustainable clear-eyed change rather than simply sky-eyed hero's journeys.
the jaded kid who grew to feel his idol's books were unrealistic because they were so curious and welcoming and hopeful. because they imagined a world where everyone and everything was worthy of care, and had a bright future. because his idol's books and club and diplomacy all said "if you can save a mouse, you can save the world, because you matter you matter you matter"
Maxwell, the angry young man who chose to become a gentleman, and Monty, his idol who is known as a "gentle man and a good man".
"How's the tone?" Monty's note asks, and yet what he's really conveying is, again, you matter you matter your thoughts and voice and presence in my life matters. You matter, Maxwell
Maxwell confesses he'd grown out of Monty's books because he lost his sky eyes, his dreams of adventure, and we realize that the tone issue was a matter of hope, of whimsy. Maxwell had always been saying I don't believe in it, I can't believe in it, your words are a breath of fresh air but the world is blanketed in smog and it's been filling my lungs for years
Monty helped bring whimsy back into Maxwell's life, giving him a model of adventure that's sustainable and still has clear eyes, and Maxwell is someone who has known the world is painful and yet chooses to believe in it, to fight for it.
And if Monty can bring hope back into one Gathie's eyes, he can bring hope to the world.