What are the emerging themes in "We Need to Talk About Kevin"?

Put quite simply, the major themes of this book are parenting (especially in regards to maternal influence) and, to a lesser extent, violence (both at school and at home).

Let us talk a bit about the lesser theme first: violence at school and at home. In reality, this theme comprises the meat of the story. Why is this? Because Kevin, Eva’s son, has grown and gone on a shooting spree at his school, killing many people. There is a large span of events leading up to this, though. Kevin is verbally violent with his parents and other children on the block, sabotaging bikes and infecting computers with viruses. Even worse, Kevin injures his sister for life (causing her to lose an eye) due to a dangerous chemical. More than once, Kevin is found with a “kill-list” of people he hates. Unfortunately, Kevin is skilled in archery and eventually shoots all of the people on his list with a crossbow. There is no doubt, then, that violence is absolutely a theme here.

In reality, though, the book is really more about Eva’s parenting which is the reason why her motherhood is the more important theme here. The book is written as a series of letters to Franklin (Eva’s late husband) about all of these events that have already happen that dictate all of Kevin’s young life leading up to the tragedy at school. Even before Eva becomes pregnant, she isn’t sure she wants to be. In fact, after she stops her method of birth control and conceives Kevin, Eva feels “cold” and is upset at how people look at her in regards to being a prospective mother. After Kevin is born, Eva feels “absent” while Kevin refuses to breastfeed.

Eva hires a nanny, Siobhan, who admits quickly that Kevin doesn’t like her. In fact, continuing his negativity, Kevin’s first words are, “I don’t like that.” In reference to watching cartoons. Kevin grows and continually mocks his parents, refuses to potty train, destroys Eva’s attempt to decorate the new house in Connecticut, refuses to be social in kindergarten, and practices his writing through insults thrown at Eva. It is this series of incidents that lead to another large parental mistake. After Kevin says Evan “looks really old” in some of his kindergarten papers, Eva abuses Kevin by throwing his little body against a wall. This breaks Kevin’s arm (and makes him begin potty training). This is a large teaching mechanism for Kevin: violence gets things done.

Kevin grows older and becomes even more antisocial contracting a sidekick (Leonard Pugh) and only wearing uncomfortably small clothes. Meanwhile, Eva has another child, Cecilia, who Eva favors over Kevin due to their different behavior. Thus arises another issue in the dark parental theme. Kevin continues to do “bad things” like throw bricks at cars and sabotaging other kids’ bikes. Eva “tries” to bond with Kevin over one outing, but it goes horribly wrong and Kevin spouts more insults:

Maybe I’d rather have a big cow of a mother who at least didn’t think she was better than everybody else.

This line, of course, cuts to the heart of the dark parental theme. Further, the quotation marks a turning point in that things get even worse after this. As Kevin takes care of his sister, Cecilia is maimed permanently after a chemical is poured into her eye. Kevin creates lists of kids to kill, infects computers with viruses, rolls his eyes at other unimaginative school shooters, and accuses his drama teacher of sexual assault. As the ultimate example of bad behavior, Kevin finds a vantage point and begins to kill his special list of charismatic students with a crossbow. Eva is in a stupor as she returns home and finds that Kevin has also used his crossbow on both Franklin and Cecilia.

In conclusion, something must be said about the ending of this novel in regards to the theme of parenting. Kevin spends years in prison and presents Eva with a crafted box containing Cecilia’s glass eye. Is this an apology? Eva easily accepts this gesture in good faith and is ready to welcome Kevin home (when he is released). Even her easy reaction here is questionable in regards to parental skills.

What is the main theme or message in "We Need to Talk About Kevin"?

Because of Kevin’s shooting spree at school with a crossbow, one might be tempted to say that school violence is the main theme of this book; however, the real theme is Eva’s parental mistakes as a mother.

To begin a look at this theme, one must observe the method the author uses: the novel is a series of letters from Eva to her late husband, Franklin, who we learn has also been killed by Kevin. This begins to show that it is Eva who is the focus here, not necessarily Kevin. In fact, it is a shock to the reader to find out that they are reading letters to a dead person by the end of the novel. Kevin strikes again.

The dark theme of Eva’s parenting begins even before she is pregnant. Eva can’t decided whether she even wants to have children and, when she becomes pregnant, she feels “cold” and “absent” even when trying to breastfeed Kevin.   Eva hires a nanny in order to get out of childcare tasks, and takes Kevin’s insults without delay. Eva continues to ignore many serious things Kevin does, and finally picks a favorite of her two children: Cecilia. Throughout the book, Eva really only has one attempt at bonding with Kevin: a trip out to dinner. At this point, the two “bond” over throwing insults at America. Kevin, of course, ends with insulting his mother:

Maybe I’d rather have a big cow of a mother who at least didn’t think she was better than everybody else.

This line shows the results of the dark parental theme. Things get worse from here. Kevin injures his sister permanently and begins to makes lists of kids to kill at school. Eva continues to ignore many of these red flags. Kevin eventually kills many students at school as well as his father and sister with a crossbow. Eva again averts the situation over the years by visiting Kevin in prison and “forgiving him.” Eva is ready to welcome Kevin home after his release without question. Even Eva’s lack of worry at the end of the story lends itself towards concern.