The Ask and the Answer discussion

I have a question. 1017, male or female?
I've been imagining a male, but I'm reading Monsters of Men and it says his one in particular (which is a soul mate or whatever) is a male, so I'm like wha? i mean, is 1017 a female, or are some spackle gay, or what?
Just a bit confused.

I'm currently reading the Monsters of Men book in the series and when I came to that part I was extremely confused as well. I got about 100 pages further into the book after I read that and it was really bothering me, so I went back and re-read that chapter. The gender of 1017's "one in particular" was never mentioned outright. I think when it said that his "one in particular" fought for him when the men came, I just assumed that it was a man-Spackle because it fought back. But it never explicitly said 'he' in the book. So I think it's safe to assume that 1017 is indeed a hetero-sexual.

When 1017 is telling the sky his experiences the sky asks "You really loved him didn't you?" so 1017's one in particular was male, I think 1017 is female.

To me, 1017 read like a male character, so when I saw that his one in particular was also male, I took that as a sign that Spackles have different sexualities and just went on. *shrugs* I can't imagine 1017 as a female, for some reason.

Maxy wrote: "To me, 1017 read like a male character, so when I saw that his one in particular was also male, I took that as a sign that Spackles have different sexualities and just went on. *shrugs* I can't ima..."

I fully agree with you.

Yeah. I was seeing it more as m/m after reading that. But it just seems so out of place in the book, I don't know why, though. I can't think of 1017 as a female...

I'll always see him as a male character. That's the only way it makes sense to me.

I think 1017 could be either male or female.

I agree with Maxy and Courtney that 1017 seems male, but it that only because Todd sees 1017 as male? Is it because 1017 hates Todd so much and vows revenge? Are we just seeing 1017 as a male because anger and revenge seem like male traits?

And, @Colby, I don't think it seems out of place. It was there to show us that Spackle/The Land are far more similar to the humans than we ever thought. They experience love and all the other emotions that humans do, but that humans never gave them credit for simply because the Spackle only communicate through Noise.

ScarletBea wrote: "Maxy wrote: "To me, 1017 read like a male character, so when I saw that his one in particular was also male, I took that as a sign that Spackles have different sexualities and just went on. *shrugs..."

Me too! I read 1017 as male as was his one in particular. It didn't bother me.

The more I read this book, the more I start to change my opinion on the meaning of "my one in particular". When I got to the part of the book where they talk about Ben and Cillian's relationship, and how it is also described by using the term "my one in particular", I think it could take on more of a best friend meaning than the more blunt term of "lover". I think when the author uses this term, he intends it to be interpreted as this individual understands me more then anyone else in the world.

Maxy wrote: "To me, 1017 read like a male character, so when I saw that his one in particular was also male, I took that as a sign that Spackles have different sexualities and just went on. *shrugs* I can't ima..."

same here. either it was a typo (its easy to write he instead of she) or 1017 was gay or something.

Courtney wrote: "The more I read this book, the more I start to change my opinion on the meaning of "my one in particular". When I got to the part of the book where they talk about Ben and Cillian's relationship, a..."

i was thinking that too....

Asmaa wrote: "Courtney wrote: "The more I read this book, the more I start to change my opinion on the meaning of "my one in particular". When I got to the part of the book where they talk about Ben and Cillian'..."

It seems unlikely to me that 1017 and Ben and Cillian were all lovers. The whole thing has been driving me nuts. I'm tired of speculating and just want to know what the real deal is.

Courtney wrote: "The more I read this book, the more I start to change my opinion on the meaning of "my one in particular". When I got to the part of the book where they talk about Ben and Cillian's relationship, a..."

However, 1017 thinks about a very intimate moment between himself and his "one in particular".

I also see 1017 as a male, and his one in particular also as a male, but I remember Todd saying that he couldn't differentiate the Spackle, he couldn't tell if one was man or woman or the age they had... so who knows...

But maybe, the land is just the land and there are no genders among them.

I just don't see the problem of having a gay couple (or *shock horror* more than one) in a book.
Please don't cause a fuss when there isn't one...

Courtney wrote: "The more I read this book, the more I start to change my opinion on the meaning of "my one in particular". When I got to the part of the book where they talk about Ben and Cillian's relationship, a..."

I think that's exactly it! Your "one in particular" is that person who gets you no matter what, that one person who loves you and understands you and will do anything for you...

Why is almost everyone here so very determined for 1017 to be straight?

It's...odd.

I don't think most people here are determined for him to be straight. The majority of the posts I've read say the opposite, and I think a lot of people are just confused because Ness never stated it outright.

Maxy wrote: "I don't think most people here are determined for him to be straight. The majority of the posts I've read say the opposite, and I think a lot of people are just confused because Ness never stated i..."

Except, in describing 1017 and his one in paricular as male, he sort of did state it. Whether or not someone's one in particular was something that translated directly to 'being in love' isn't definite, but it does seem pretty close to it in how it's described.

It just seems kind of odd to see people saying stuff like it could have been a typo or having a one in particular isn't a strctly romantic thing when the simplest explanation by far is that they were just both male and in whatever kind of relationship one in particulars would be in.

Sorry, I realise it wasn't everone saying that.

I'm not saying there's no way they are gay.
Really, it doesn't change the series at all for me, except to confuse me a little.

Lily wrote: "Why is almost everyone here so very determined for 1017 to be straight?

It's...odd."

I have no problem at all if 1017 and his one in particular are gay, or if Ben and Cillian were also gay.

I love the trilogy so much, that those details don't bother me, or disturb me, or change my opinion in any way.

Lily wrote: "Maxy wrote: "I don't think most people here are determined for him to be straight. The majority of the posts I've read say the opposite, and I think a lot of people are just confused because Ness n..."

Did Ness ever actually point out 1017's gender, though? That's what's confusing to me. I always pictured him as male, but I do not recall a specification of 1017's gender in the series.

Maxy wrote: "Lily wrote: "Maxy wrote: "I don't think most people here are determined for him to be straight. The majority of the posts I've read say the opposite, and I think a lot of people are just confused b..."

No, I don't remember Ness saying specifically whether or not 1017 was male or female. However, there was no confusion for me regarding Ben and Cillian's relationship. There was a comment (or a few) earlier about that. Ben and Cillian are a couple and they did a wonderful job raising Todd, IMO. After reading this entire discussion through again, I've come to the conclusion that the Land are of only one gender, and that's fine with me too.

I was never under the impression that Ben and Cillian were gay...but I never really thought about it because I honestly don't care. That matters to me as much as it matters that Dumbledore is gay...it doesn't. At all.

I believe 1017/The Sky was a male. Even if his One in Particular was a male too. The world they had didn't really care about Gay/Lesbians. As you can see from Ben/Cillian it was already openly accepted since they landed in The New World.

I never really gave 1017's gender much thought because I just assumed he was male. And if he was in love with another guy and that other guy loved him too, well good for him. But I don't feel like that was the focus or reason for their relationship to be in the book. I don't think we were meant to mull over 1017's sexual orientation or gender or whatever but more like we were meant to understand him.

And this is irrelevant but I always thought Ben and Cillian made a lovely couple, even if they weren't really one.

I understand that it's not the focus of the book. I was simply curious.

I always thought of him as a male...

i allways thought of 1017 as a male. becuase i am sure that it says about women spackle as well so i think 1017 is a male also im not sure about guy spackle!

Maxy wrote: "Lily wrote: "Maxy wrote: "I don't think most people here are determined for him to be straight. The majority of the posts I've read say the opposite, and I think a lot of people are just confused b..."

i dont think he did.

Colby wrote: "I have a question. 1017, male or female?
I've been imagining a male, but I'm reading Monsters of Men and it says his one in particular (which is a soul mate or whatever) is a male, so I'm like wha..."

ive never really thought about it. now you say im confussed too!

After reading the last book i think 1017 is a girl but then again she could be a he. :/

Jmart wrote: "After reading the last book i think 1017 is a girl but then again she could be a he. :/"

What makes you think it's female?

Personally I believe that 1017 is a male. I mean Todd said that you could tell the difference between male and female. Also 1017's attitude and the way he narrates is more similar to a male than a female. I don't care if 1017 was gay, it's a different world so they may have different sexualities just like humans. Maybe one day 1017's gender will be confirmed. I think most people think he's female because they can't picture spackle as being gay but I can't picture 1017 as a girl so I can understand. But it doesn't really matter that much, I mean who cares? It really had nothing to do with the book that much





anyway. I still think 1017 was a very interesting character, he was one of my

favorites until he put todd into rhe coma, i cried then i hated 1017. I only kinda liked him in the middle of the ask and the answer.

I believe that 1017 is male and that his one in particular was just really spirited. But yeah, like 'Alice' said; Does it really matter?
it doesn't really change the story either way...

I'm reading Monsters of Men. I saw this post and came across this while reading. page 195 32% in on my iphone "I looked around yet again and saw only myself,only 1017 with the permanent mark burning into his arm". It is safe to say 1017 is a Male. Continued reading and 1017 "One in particular" is another male.

i always thought he was more of a male character

whoa, this thread confused me a bit. All through out 1017 was a male to me. Im quite surprise readers think his gay.

It seems that no one else listened to the audio books. Heh.

1017 is a male. His one in particular was male. Therefore, he is gay. And I for one LOVED that fact. That Ness threw that in there is AMAZING! The first half of Monster of Men he only referred to his one in particular as his one in particular until the Sky points out that 1017 really loved "him".

And Ben and Cillian are also gay. Which I wasn't very surprised to hear. Because 1017 and Ben are talking and to comfort 1017, Ben tells him that he misses his one in particular as well. And since Old Prentisstown was full of dudes, Cillian is the only one he could have been talking about.

Even more props to Patrick Ness!

Hud-c wrote: "whoa, this thread confused me a bit. All through out 1017 was a male to me. Im quite surprise readers think his gay."

He is Gay! So are Ben and Cillian!

1017 IS A MAN!!!!! It says that pretty clearly. And yes 1017 was gay his one in paticular was a man

Sara wrote: "Hud-c wrote: "whoa, this thread confused me a bit. All through out 1017 was a male to me. Im quite surprise readers think his gay."

He is Gay! So are Ben and Cillian!"

I know Ben and Cillian are gay. No doubt about that. But 1017, I think I missed some details about him. Ugh, this is Mayor Prentiss' fault. I was so focus in him, anticipating his death so much.

Patrick Ness says 1017 is a boy, as is his one in particular!

http://www.patrickness.com/2011/01/mi...

I think it's amazing what Ness has done, unlike almost every other book out there he hasn't had a big fanfare and fireworks about people being gay. It's especially wonderful in a young adults book - the naturalness about both 1017 and Ben and Cillian's relationship is just so sweet :)

I love this book. That is my answer to this question.
So he is a male (which I assumed) but he loved a guy spackle (which his adorable)!

I thought the point was to be ambiguous, to challenge people's perceptions and allow them to make up their own minds.

I think the notion of a 'one in particular' is the most beautiful sentiment of love I've ever read. Because not only does it transcend age and sex but also marital status in a way that 'lover', 'partner' or 'person-who-i-love' never could.

1017's gender? HE'S A MALE WTF HELLO? omg -.-

I think his one in particular was a male as well a him. Nothin wrong with that though. ( I was still a bit confused too).

Cat wrote: "I think his one in particular was a male as well a him. Nothin wrong with that though. ( I was still a bit confused too)."

Yeah I think so too. I think he was like Ben with Todd