At the beginning of this book I saw the potential for many life problems. Do you think that a high school student can be expected to handle personal issues of this magnitude alone?
I do not believe any high school student is expected to handle everything that Kate was handling. I do however, believe it's possible to handle it all. In fact, because of how much diversity our school has it could even be apparent in MHS. While, students may not have it to the same extent as Kate I think more people than we think have to step up to replace the role of a parent for different reasons. I also think that problems are a part of life, we all deal with our own stress and issues but are always able to handle them just as Kate is doing. Lastly, I also don't think Kate was entirely alone. She had a few friends who she was able to trust and could help her in her problems such as Sara. -Emily McDonald
I would expect some level of maturity when dealing with problems like this from a high school student even if they are alone. I do not however expect anyone to go threw something like this alone. Even if your family is dead and it is just you left, I would expect my friends to be there for me when I needed them.
An average student, I don't believe would be able to accomplish everything that Kate has been able to accomplish. Sometimes Kate has even said that if she believed in God she would pray to help her with all of her struggles. Kate is a very independent person though so she expects herself to be able to do everything all on her own. -Kellar McCloy
I bet that when her mom died she was forced to kind of step up and take the place of her mother. She had to do everything her mom used to do not only for herself, but for her little brother and for her dad too. It has definitely became to much for her I think, but I think she figures that if she tells her dad she can not handle it anymore that he would just tell her that she needed to suck it up. So that is what she does is sucks it up and tries to handle it all. While her stupid dad pretends like he does not even need to be a father anymore to her.
This article is really sweet and interesting. Although by reading it the question came to me of are the statistics, odds the author gives of Kate getting into to MIT really realistic. The authors odds are 4 to 1 against. Looking at this article, "How to do Everything Wrong and Still Get into MIT" written by a college student at MIT, as well as looking at what you know from the book so far, do you think the authors odds were right? Feel free to use any other knowledge you may know about the admissions process at MIT. http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/how_to_do_everything_wrong_and
This is an interesting question. An article from the same site you used, I found an article giving the exact statistics for freshmen who entered MIT in the fall of last year. In the 18,989 freshman applications, only 1,548 of them were admitted. This is roughly 8.6% or a 8.6 out of one hundred chance for her to be admitted into MIT. This is much lower of odds than those that were given in the book, so no, the authors were not right when they stated the odds. Statistics from http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/stats - Cole Thompson
Well it is clearly obvious then that this author know nothing about statistics, idiot. I guess that is why she is an author though, and not a math professor at MIT. By the way I didn't know there was such a thing as 0.6 people?
As I continue reading on in the book Kate seems to be more like "bad Kate" rather than the "good Kate" she said she always acted and was praised by. I'm just wondering if she will be able to show her "good Kate" attitude again if more eventful things happen to Kate furthernalongnin the book
I too have thought about this! However, I think she was saying she was mostly good Kate at the beginning because there was a part of her who wanted to always be good Kate. She thought it was somewhat her duty to be good Kate but as the book continues you realize she isn't as much of good Kate as she thought she was... she's more of a bad Kate
I feel like as you read even more into it bad and good Kate struggle for power even more. Good Kate is sometimes winning and other times bad Kate is winning. Although as you get even farther into the book I feel like there is neither good or bad Kate any more. It is a whole new Kate that was formed by her experiences and struggles.
I think that as the book continues she seems to become more of a good Kate again. After Teri and Mikey have lived with her a few days and after she got rejected by MIT I think she begins to realize that there is more to life than what she thought. Also I think that if she we're to be a bad Kate she wouldn't have put up with driving the Litch kids around.
I agree with Susie. But I also don't think that it was bad Kate that she was being. I just think that she was being broken down, like a salt that dissociates, by her stressful environments.
I feel like she faded from using it as much through the book as she did at the beginning. I was thinking that the more she realized how hard life actually is, the more she had to make quick decisions and rationalize too quickly to use her "good" and "bad" Kate.
I wonder why there isn't harder vocabulary words in this book if this book is about Kate is who extremely intelligent? I would think that she would use a higher level of vocabulary.
I believe that the reason Kate uses such basic vocabulary in her dialog to emphasize her hatred for English. She doesn't seem to be very strong in literature, as on page 180 (SPOILER) she is told her essays she wrote for MIT were weak. Because of English being a weak subject for her, her vocabulary may not be as extensive as you would assume.
Also, I believe that the author was trying to focus on getting most of her scientific facts correct, because in the Author Q & A, she mentioned how she barely passed chemistry. I agree with Kate's weakness in English being a cause as well, but this might have contributed to her limited vocabulary in most of the book other than the chemistry and calculus sections.
Kate being bad at English may not be the reason for her basic vocabulary. It may just be that she is surrounded with people who are less intelligent than her. :D
Alert! I am on page 80!!!!! On page six of this book Kate is talking about her brother Toby. Toby is sick and and she thinks he will be all right. At one point she thinks to herself "Its not like this could get serious or anything". I think this is foreshadowing and my prediction is that he dies later in the book. What do you think? -Susie Reed
I do not think Toby will die. I think that it becomes apparent once the book continues that he is getting much better. Also what was making him feel worse was the fact that he had a cold and cough. Colds normally just pass by after a week or two. Also, I have asthma as well and I know from personal experience that colds can worsen it but it would take a lot to be able to actually full out kill Toby. http://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/asthma_colds
so, I noticed that Kate's father, Reverend Jack, had an oddly close relationship with Teri's little brother, Mikey. I realize he is a reverend and his job is to love and help people but it just seemed that he was extra close with Mikey. Also, when Kate's dad came to the house when Ms. Cummings and Kate were there, Ms. Cummings rushed out of the house quickly like it was bad that the two families were together. Therefore, I predict that Mikey is Reverend Jack's son. This would in a way connect Teri and Kate which would cause tension and I feel like that is the way the book is set up, to be tense. What do you all think?
I do not think that Mikey is Reverend Jack's son. First, Kate talks about one brother, Toby. Second, the only way that I believe that Jack would have another child and not tell Kate and Toby is if he had it with someone after his wife died. That could be possible, however on page 53 Anderson writes, "...I overheard him tell somebody that he buried his heart when he buried Mom". That makes me think that he is very loyal to his family and he would not have the nerve to have a child with someone else.
I honestly don't think Rev. Jack is Mikey's dad. It would be a lot of work for the author to try and make that story line play out and I htink it would take away form the main point of the story. Plus generally I think Rev. Jack is just a good person and is trying to be good to these people who have a really bad life and don't have many people around (espically trustworthy male figures) to help them.
*SPOILER ALERT* Why do you think the author killed off Mikey? I think it was maybe just a way to keep the plot rolling and find a way to transition the story from one point to the other. However I think there could be several possibilities. What do you guys think?
I think that by killing off Mikey it gave some type of future for Teri to open up herself in some sort of way to Kate. I loved Mikey and i was really upset that he died because he added some joy to the story. Back to the point though I just think that after Mikey died it gave some reality to Kate that not getting into MIT was not the end of the world and she can do other things with her life.
I believe the author killed off Mikey because it went more into Teri`s history. The reader finds out that Teri was raped along with her mom being abused. Also the author wanted to make a strong bond between Kate and Teri at the end of the book because Kate could relate in some way with the loss of her mom. The watch that was originally Kate`s is like a symbol for losing someone that was extremely close to you.
In chapter two, while Kate is eating lunch with her friends she describes Sara and Travis` relationship, she says, "They R IN LUV," (33). Why do you think the author wrote it with the shortened phrase? I believe the author wrote the statement like this to show how young, teenage relationships are. It shows the contrast between teenage and adult relationships. It also shows how some teenagers are a bit lazy compared to adults because they don't spell out the whole phrase.
I think that the author did that to emphasize the point that they are in love. She probably also did it to show how modern teenagers react to situations like that. I really don't think that had much else to do with the story other than for emphasis.
Personally, I feel like she said it almost sarcastically because she was in a dull mood at the moment. Kate also explained how they would go off to college and not be able to see each other and how hard it would be. Maybe she threw it in to show teenage slang too, it's hard to tell.
In Catalyst, one of the many problems Kate had was that she only applied for MIT, and no other schools. My question is, why do you think the author added this into the story? What did it have to add to the plot?
One reason I think the author had Kate only apply to MIT was to show how desperate she was to still have a connection with her mom (as her mom had been an accomplished student at MIT). Another reason could've been to add to the stress levels of Kate and her relationships with others hence adding some tension to the story. Her and Mitch began to fight in the grocery store when he brings up the subject of MIT. "I take a deep breath, fortify my shields, strengthen the force field"(118). She begins to push Mitch away because she knows she doesn't have any other college options and he keeps pressing her about those "other options".
I think the author added having Kate apply only to MIT to create a stronger bond between the reader and Kate, so when she receives the rejection letter from them the readers feel upset for her too. That is the only college she wants to go to so you help share the tension as she waits for the letter and when she receives it the readers feel disappointed too.
Early on in the book Kate talks about how she doesn't really miss her mom that much and that she is not at all traumatized by her death. But then later on in the book when Toby starts asking about their mom's death she starts getting all defensive. Then we come to figure out she ran out on her mother's funeral. Kate's mom died in fourth grade, Kate's mom attended MIT, and Kate has wanted to attend MIT since fourth grade. Is this a coincidence? Is the real reason Kate is upset she didn't get into MIT is because she feels like in some way she let her mom down? In some way was Kate attending MIT her one way of connecting with her mom? Thoughts.
I agree with thinking that Kate wanted to go to MIT as a way of connecting with her mom. Throughout the book it seems as though Kate isn't very open about sharing her feelings and problems. She goes back and forth between "Good Kate" and "Bad Kate". So when she says outwardly how she didn't feel much connection with her mom I think it was a way of hide her true feelings in which deep down she still missed her mom and wanted MIT to be that connection so her mom wouldn't totally be gone.
I do believe that in some way, Kate's application to MIT was prevalent to her mother. The author probably covered up true feelings of Kate to be revealed in the end to show a dynamic change of some sort. Somewhere in the book, Kate actually reveals some the things that her mother had done. "He didn't write down that her favorite perfume smelled like roses. Or that she was Phi Beta Kappa at MIT. Or that she used to stay up all night with Toby to make sure he kept breathing"(213). Here, she shows reverence towards her mother, and memories from way back, which suggests she does remember. Also, she does talk defensively of not remembering the funeral, but she also tells of how she ran away, and she was half delirious when found, so perhaps, (as you said) MIT was her last hurrah in staying in touch with mother. I would also like to add to the fact that Kate seems to be like her mom in the small details that were mentioned on 213. The way she takes care of Toby is as though she is stepping into her moms shoes so she can be just like her. The admirable way, with little details found in the novel reveal that she does show remorse for her mother, even though she denied it previously.
Watch out! Don't read unless you read part two! Do you think it was more than a coincidence that "Teri put on a hundred pounds in ninth grade, then stopped eating in tenth." (pg. 28) Then when she was a senior three years later, she has a two year old son. Did she really gain a lot of weight or was she pregnant? I believe that her peers thought that she gained a lot of weight and got fat, but in reality she was pregnant and tried to gain extra weight as well so her classmates would not find out and question her. Than once she had Mickey, she looked liked she had lost a lot of weight. Thoughts.
Whoa. Did not even think about that. That is so.....whoa. I just wanted to let you know that this question is awesome! I'll try to come up with a good reply for this question so it will count but I just wanted to let you know that this is great.
Wow, this is such a great question! I do believe that she was pregnant with Mikey her freshmen year and then had him during her sophomore year. Here's statistics about teen pregnancy. After reading these shocking results it makes you wonder how Teri managed to hide her pregnancy from everyone. Maybe her mother had something to do with it. https://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-teen-pregnancy
For all you awesome people reading about Kate, we have new information on the discussion questions. Number 8 is now an extra credit opportunity based on how much you do for it. If you list more headings that deal with the stuff and the more you explain them the more potential extra credit you can get! :D
This question pertains to the beginning of the book when Kate first mentions "Good Kate" and "Bad Kate". Kate introduces her two different sides with, "On the outside I am Good Kate...On the inside I am Bad Kate" (3). However when Kate comments on how both of her sides think of doing laundry on page 5, she speaks of good and bad Kate in third person. Grammatically speaking, this means Kate is not talking about herself. Who is the real Kate? What does this mean about her two different sides?
Throughout this book, we've read how Teri has stolen multiple items from Kate such as her watch and her necklace. This brings me to the conclusion that the author is trying to tell the readers something with Teri's thieving actions. Could it be foreshadowing that Teri will steal something with much more significance later on in the story? Mitchell? An acceptance letter to MIT? What do you think?
This is a very good point! At this point in the story I'm not sure what she might steel, but its possible she could steel something. (however I don't think it will be Mitchell-if it is, I will be mad) I also think that some of her reason for stealing might be jealousy. As we find out more about Teri we realize that she had a pretty crummy childhood (and teenage years). Even though Kate might not think that her life is that great, to someone like Teri, it probably seems really nice. Teri stealing things from Kate, might just be her wanting to have a life a little more like Kate.
This is a good point however I've noticed the things she has stolen both had been her mom's. So maybe the author is trying to tell us something by having both stolen things be Kate's mom's old things. Teri obviously would not know this but we readers do know this... but I don't know, just something to think about.:)
I believe Teri stole grief from Kate. The watch is a symbol for losing someone, so when Teri stole it, Mikey died and in the end of the book Kate allowed Teri to keep it because Teri had gone through so much. I also believe that the necklace resembles the rudeness Mitchell had towards Teri at the end of the book, like there was going to be a small conflict between Teri and Mitchell because the necklace was given to Kate from Mitchell.
I was listening to a song today that was saying how we will all eventually pray to God for some kind of miracle or help no matter who we are, what we have been through or what we have done. So I was wondering what you guys think about Kate eventually maybe believing in God more later on due to all the problems she continues to face? I personally think she will eventually go back to God and one of the main reasons she stopped believing was because her mom passed away and she didn't find it fair of God to take her mom from them. What do you all think?
This is a good thought. I've also been thinking about how Kate would change religion wise. I think it's obvious to us all that Kate is definitely a dynamic character and I believe that it would also apply to her beliefs in God. I don't believe she will stop believing in science altogether, however, I do believe she will put more faith in God and religion. I agree with you that she must have stopped believing in God once her mother died since the author writes on page 125, "I pray to Zeus...and to the Godplace I lost in me when I wasn't looking". Furthermore, Kate confesses to Toby, "I remember running out of the church" (Anderson 200) at her mother's funeral which is when she must have rejected God. When Mikey dies, Kate does not run away, I believe this is part of her dynamic change and the author is telling the readers that Kate is not running away from God, her faith, or trust.
Based on Kate's view of college and getting a fair education, what views might you perceive given the context of the book? Does it change your perception of high school life and your work ethic? Do the odds seem fair?
At the beginning of each chapter in Catalyst, there is a safety tip underneath the chapter title. This is true for every chapter but one, which is Quantum Shift. This is chapter 0.0.0 in the book and is the chapter after Mikey dies. I'm just curios if you think the author left out the safety tip on purpose or on accident, and why?
I think the author left out the safety tip on purpose, because the term "Quantum Shift" doesn't have a specified definition. The term is informally used in physics to represent how a quantum can be spent in one way or another (think Schrodinger equation). With no set rules for Quantum Shift itself, perhaps she left out the safety rule on purpose. ...Or you could all think I'm a loon and she just left the safety tip out because the emotional turmoil on all of the characters would make them not pay attention to any safety rules involved.
If you haven't reached quantum shift- don't read. What changes do you begin to see in Kate as a person when Mikey passes away? Both with internal and external conflict. Does it seem like she is battling herself, or those around her? Do you think that her change from the beginning of the book to end is good or bad?
I am on page 210 so if you have not gotten there yet, don't read!!!! While Teri was completely ruining her house and going crazy Kate tells her this isn't normal and she isn't thinking straight. However, in return Teri tells Kate, "When I wasn't looking, my kid wandered upstairs and got killed. He had his brains fried. I don't want to think, Kate. Never again." (page 207) This makes me wander if because Teri is so upset and distraught (I mean who wouldn't be if their son just died, especially while you're still only in high school) would she go even further and commit suicide? I mean I'm no sure if the author would do this in the last 20 pages, I just think that Teri is at a point where she would do just about anything and everything to get out of her pain and misery. What are your thoughts?
Honestly I believed that Teri could definitely have attempted suicide. Furthermore, I think suicide was much more realistic than the ending the author wrote which was very disappointing, especially since she could have written a conclusion that could have actually helped the readers if they know anyone with suicidal behaviors. Terri showed multiple signs of suicide which you can read on this website: http://www.webmd.com/mental-health/recognizing-suicidal-behavior
*Do not read if not at the end of the book yet* Why do you think that Teri decided to rebuild her house in the end? I mean, she didn't have Mikey anymore but she still decided to work on the house she wanted, with the playroom-kitchen combo. Why do you think she decided to stay at the house?
I think she decided to stay there because as she came out of her freak out zone right after Mikey died, she started to think more clearly. As she thought about it more I think she realized that one way of not losing Mikey even more was to rebuild the house just as she wanted it, with his room, and the playroom connected to the kitchen. Also, it was something she really cared about, and it would have been very hard for her to lose two things she cared about back to back.
I think she decided to rebuild the house because the state at which she was tearing it down was more like a mental wall she was breaking into to get to an almost "new" Teri. I just think it was a good comparison and it also was rebuilding Teri and Kate's relationship.
I think she continued building because the house was her last true asset that mattered to her... Even though she destroyed it and anhilated the kitchen, that was just her in state of shock trying to figure out what she should do. Like the others said, it was kind of her mental breakdown, but she decided to build it back up in the end because it meant a lot more to her than what she initially thought.
*Do not read if you haven't read part three!!* Ever since the fire and Kate's rejection from MIT, Kate and Mitch have been having relationship problems. After Mikey died Travis and Sarah kept telling Kate that she should talk to Mitch because he had been acting funny. On page 181 she goes to his house and finds out that he has totally switched his major and things like the organization of his room is different. He even says, "Nope. This is me. I'm finally growing up, I guess. Time to deal with real life" (Anderson 188). What do you think caused the sudden switch in his personality? In my opinion, I think his sudden change was because of watching what Kate was going through. He spent a lot less time with her and I think that allowed him to think through his life as he watched Kate work through hers.
I think that when Mitch saw Mikey dead, something inside him twisted up. His 'growing up' was because he'd never seen a dead person in real life before, so it was a shock to him. He wanted to do something he thought would be useful and practical instead of follow his dream major so that the people around him, which were still alive, would be happy with his decisions.
I believe that seeing Mikey die was a turning point in Mitch's life. After Miley died, I believe Mitch incorrectly assumed that this lifestyle and career he wanted to pursue would not matter to the rest of the world. After this tragic event, he saw life from a different view and wanted to change his actions accordingly.
*Do not read unless you've finished the book* At the very end of Catalyst, Kate promises to help Teri rebuild the house that she tore apart after Mikey's death. Do you believe she will continue to help Teri rebuild her house? In my opinion Kate does not seem like a person for physical labor. I believe she may help with the logical aspects of building the house, but not the hands on labor.
Although Kate may not help with the physical labor I think she will continue to help by being there for Terri. Kate could help in getting supplies, supporting Terri when she remembers Mikey's death and just being there so Terri has someone to talk and cry to. Even though Terri decided to continue on building the house she will still probably have moments when she contemplates her life and "what if" moments (which I feel everyone does if they've ever lost someone close to them) in which case Kate will be there for her.
When Kate was struggling through not being accepted to MIT, do you think Teri was a distraction or do you think Teri made the situation more complicated? I believe that Teri was a major destraction for Kate because Teri wasn`t as difficult compared to not getting accepted because to Kate getting accepted was the most important thing for her. Also since Kate likes to take care of the whole family, she can also take care of Mikey and Teri which made more distractions. What do you think?
I think that Teri was a major distraction as well as making the situation more complicated. When Teri's house first burned down and came to stay with Kate, I believe she made Kate's life more complicated by having Kate drive her different places and wanting certain things. Then later on when Mickey died I believe Kate thought that watching Teri and making sure she was not harming herself because of her deep feelings of sadness was her job. Kate was always watching out for Teri after that plot turn and I think it kept her from dealing with her problem of dealing with the rejection of MIT.
Was there ever a time when you thought Toby was going to die as opposed to Mikey? Earlier in the story Toby had a bad cough and I foreshadowed something would happen to him. What are your thoughts on this?
Through the story I didn't even think about the fact that Toby could die as opposed to Mickey. I feel that the author put Toby's illness in the story to show how Kate had learned to run the house and take care of Toby and her dad after her mom died. Kate was the one who gave Toby his medicine and reminded her dad about giving Toby his medicine at breakfast. Through Mickey's passing we learn a lot about the kind of person Teri really is, she seems strong from the outside but being strong covers up the sadness, anger, and insecurity that she has on the inside.
Towards the end of the book, after the fire Teri's mother really was not involved in what Teri was doing anymore. " It takes Dad a couple of days to figure out that a) Teri is living in her house, and b) Teri is destroying the house... And her mother doesn't care one way or another, as long as she can keep living at Betty's." Why do you think that her mother does not care what her daughter does anymore? I think Teri's mother is trying to sort everything out with what has happened in her life after the shock of the fire and her daughter's son dying. And since her daughter is now eighteen, a legal adult she can do whatever she wants and her mom can't stop her. What do you think?
I don't necessarily think that Teri's mom doesn't care about her, I think its just the fact that she, as well as Teri, is undergoing major amounts of emotional stress and depression. I also remember Teri saying something about her mom getting hit in the head by her dad(Teri's dad) so at that point her emotional stability went downhill. Its both on the account of mother and daughter issues, they both seem depressed.
I like to think of it as maybe her mom never cared about her and she had to deal with that as a child, and it maybe messed her entire life up by making Teri a bad tempered teenager.
Both Teri and Kate lost a family member and are in the same grade but are very different. How do Teri and Kate grieve their loved one's death differently? In my opinion Kate grieves less than Teri but Kate has dealt with her mother's death for eight years and running helps her get over the grief she still has. Teri on the other hand lost Mickey tragically a couple weeks ago in the book and blames herself. She takes her anger out on the house which she was helping to rebuild by destroying the work they had gotten done. Below is a link to The Five Steps to Loss and Grief, does Teri exhibit any of them? http://psychcentral.com/lib/the-5-stages-of-loss-and-grief/000617
Teri definitely used anger from the five steps to grieve by destroying her house. Honestly, what Teri did was much more healthy than how Kate grieved. Kate didn't even grieve, she just ran away and avoided confronting the fact that her mother died. Teri on the other hand, confronted Mikey's death, she grieved, expressed all of her emotions, good and bad. I think the grieving process both of these girls went through just goes to show that Kate isn't superior or a better person than Teri. In fact, if anything, Teri is superior. Teri and Kate both experienced many hardships but Teri accepted them and moved on while Kate went the easy route and ran away.
So you all know how bad of a life that Teri was living even before Mikey died. My question is why did it take such a huge tragedy like Teri's house burning down to get people to help them out?
It seems that often people who are financially struggling or having other problems tend to keep it to themselves because they might be embarrassed or don't want to bother others with their situations. I think that's why people tend to not put themselves out there in helping others beacuase they don't want to be rude by getting into other people's situations and assume that they are struggling. Also people have their own lives and own problems so it is hard for us to take time out of our own busy schedules to help others. It was hinted that Terri was raped by her father and many victims will often keep to themselves, not wanting to be around others for the fear of what happened and other people finding out. (Here's a website that talks about the after effects of victims). http://www.pcar.org/blog/common-victim-behaviors-survivors-sexual-abuse When Terri's house burned down people didn't have to assume whether she needed help or not, it was obvious that she did need the assistance and care from others.
When Kate followed Teri to try to get her watch back right after the chicken dinner she went into Teri's house. When Kate was there her Dad showed up and he seemed very familiar with their family. It may just be me but I was wondering if the Reverend had any special relation with Teri's family.
So on the discussion question sheet there is a question about food. Have you guys come up with any creative ideas on how food was used through out the book as a symbol?
Mikey was always playing with a little toy firetruck. Do you think the author put that in there just because it's a common toy with children, or do you think she was trying to foreshadow to his death and the emergency personnel coming to try and revive him? Any thoughts?
In the book, Mrs. Litch seems distant from Teri. Do you think it is because of her trauma from her abusive husband? Or do you think she doesn`t care much about Teri? I read this article on a website:
I believe that the abuse had gone so far that it permanently damaged Mrs. Litch because it seems like she needs a lot of help throughout the day, but I also believe she didn`t want to have the responsibility of Teri and Mikey because she stayed at Betty`s house the whole time.
Many of us had questions about a quote on page 173. Kate is thinking about Teri when she says, "She is made of titanium. Titanium doesn't tarnish easily. It doesn't conduct electricity so well either, considering it's a metal" (Anderson). Anderson says that because titanium is a metal it doesn't conduct electricity. However, we have learned that metals do conduct electricity. This link gives information on why titanium is not a good conductor. Anderson was right in that part, I just think her reason was unclear because metals do conduct electricity. One question I have for you is why did Kate compare her to titanium? I think she did because like she said it doesn't tarnish which might represent Teri's willpower and strength. It is also strong just like Teri. click here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWdLt3Afjrg Here's a link to the song "Under Pressure" by Queen (No, Vanilla Ice ripped them off, not the other way around) and was one of the songs that the author listened to when she wrote this book. What part of the book do you think she wrote while listening to this song?
I think it was around the time where Kate found out about her not getting accepted into college and Teri was in her way and her life just seemed a mess. It just seemed like an "Under Pressure" kind of thing to go with it.
Why do you think the author ended the book the way she did? Do you think there's any true significance behind the ending of the novel and the beginning? (I was kind of dissapointed with the outcome but that's beside the point) I was also wondering about the watch, which was initially Kate's but she ended up giving it to Terri anyway.
The end of the book was my least favorite part of the book. It seemed to just be arubt and almost crude. I think Laurie Anderson should have given a type of feel where we get progress of what happened after the end. What do you think?
I feel like the room where Mikey's playroom was in which everyone painted the walls was metaphorical for a new start for Teri. Alike to a therapy almost, she seemed lighter than she was towards the beginning of the book.
https://www.etsy.com/listing/120368076/paint-splashes-map-of-the-world-map? This reminds me of the playroom where everyone threw paint across the walls for Mikey right after he passed away.
Why do you think Kate grew to hate God and Christianity? To no longer be a Christina something her father was all for? It seemed Kate's father wasn't really pushing religion on her. He was just doing his job by helping others and for some reason that bothered her. I think she also blamed God for her mother's death.
Her mother's death definitely had something to do with Kate's hatred towards Christianity. Since Kate is such a logical person the whole idea of Christianity might seem weird to her. Maybe her mother's death caused Kate to put her faith in scientific theories rather than God. It really surprised me that Mikey's death didn't cause Kate to become closer to her father and God.
Since the author ended the book open-ended, do you think that this sets up for a sequel? (I'm not quite sure if I would actually want to read it). Thoughts.
Obviously Teri has had a rough life and all of the bad things that have happened to her couldn't have happened to her in one day. Throughout the book Teri gave hints of a long line of abuses to her and her mom by her father. Why do you think that Teri didn't speak up sooner? If she had could Mikey have even existed?
If Kate's brother Toby had died instead of Mikey how do you think that would've changed the situation and the relationship of Terri and Kate? If Toby would've died I don't think Terri would've been as helpful as Kate was because she was not being forced to by anyone ( where as Kate's dad was making Kate drive Terri around). Also I think Kate and her father's relationship could've either grown closer by his death by realizing they are the only two left in the family; or it could've torn their relationship even father apart by no longer having Toby as a bind between the two.
In the book, if Toby had died instead of Mikey, I believe Teri would not be involved with Kate and Kate would struggle more independently. I also believe it would make Kate even more of a dynamic character because Toby would be the second major loss that she has had. I feel like the loss would be so bad she wouldn`t care about anything else. I believe it would make the relationship between Kate and her father better. I think it would be very hard on Kate because she is an atheist and would have nothing to look forward for after life for her, Toby, and her mom.
I was wondering why the author decided to choose a house fire to get the Litch's out of the house. (I can't remember if it mentioned how the fire started). Why not a robber or fallen tree that landed on the house? Did it have to do with the scientific aspect of the book? Like maybe how in a fire the more wind the faster the fire will spread and the more damage. Just as how after Mikey died it sped up Terris emotion and she began to destroy the house and damage what so many people had tried to help her with in rebuilding her home?
If a robber would have robbed the house then it wouldn't have caused the Litches to move in with Kate and her family. Eliminating this would've caused a huge change in the plot from what it is now and that would be too much work. Even if she had changed the disaster that got the Litches out of the house you would have to consider the things that would have needed to get fixed (such as the electrical socket) and the amount of damage the event would've caused. To choose a house fire required that the electrial socket needed to be fixed and the Litches to move out while everything got fixed.
At the beginning of the book Teri is introduced when her and a group of football players get into a huge fight. Why do you think the author introduced Teri like this?
I was reading through the book and realized something about Kate's mom that I wanted to bring up with the rest of you. On page 22 Kate talks about her mom's death and says, "She got sick on Thursday and died three days later" (Anderson). I thought it through in my head that she must have died on Sunday which I thought was pretty significant since instead of going to church that morning, she went to her mom's funeral. Also, I thought three was a pretty significant number since in Christianity The Holy Trinity is made up of three parts of God. I was thinking the author purposely used Kate's death to make Kate hate God and lose her faith. What do you think?
Wtf! (Where's the fun) ;)
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of this book I saw the potential for many life problems. Do you think that a high school student can be expected to handle personal issues of this magnitude alone?
ReplyDeleteJennifer, you need to be sure you have your last name listed so that you get credit. thanks:)
DeleteI do not believe any high school student is expected to handle everything that Kate was handling. I do however, believe it's possible to handle it all. In fact, because of how much diversity our school has it could even be apparent in MHS. While, students may not have it to the same extent as Kate I think more people than we think have to step up to replace the role of a parent for different reasons. I also think that problems are a part of life, we all deal with our own stress and issues but are always able to handle them just as Kate is doing. Lastly, I also don't think Kate was entirely alone. She had a few friends who she was able to trust and could help her in her problems such as Sara. -Emily McDonald
DeleteI would expect some level of maturity when dealing with problems like this from a high school student even if they are alone. I do not however expect anyone to go threw something like this alone. Even if your family is dead and it is just you left, I would expect my friends to be there for me when I needed them.
DeleteAn average student, I don't believe would be able to accomplish everything that Kate has been able to accomplish. Sometimes Kate has even said that if she believed in God she would pray to help her with all of her struggles. Kate is a very independent person though so she expects herself to be able to do everything all on her own.
ReplyDelete-Kellar McCloy
I bet that when her mom died she was forced to kind of step up and take the place of her mother. She had to do everything her mom used to do not only for herself, but for her little brother and for her dad too. It has definitely became to much for her I think, but I think she figures that if she tells her dad she can not handle it anymore that he would just tell her that she needed to suck it up. So that is what she does is sucks it up and tries to handle it all. While her stupid dad pretends like he does not even need to be a father anymore to her.
DeleteThis article is really sweet and interesting. Although by reading it the question came to me of are the statistics, odds the author gives of Kate getting into to MIT really realistic. The authors odds are 4 to 1 against. Looking at this article, "How to do Everything Wrong and Still Get into MIT" written by a college student at MIT, as well as looking at what you know from the book so far, do you think the authors odds were right? Feel free to use any other knowledge you may know about the admissions process at MIT. http://mitadmissions.org/blogs/entry/how_to_do_everything_wrong_and
ReplyDeleteThis is an interesting question. An article from the same site you used, I found an article giving the exact statistics for freshmen who entered MIT in the fall of last year. In the 18,989 freshman applications, only 1,548 of them were admitted. This is roughly 8.6% or a 8.6 out of one hundred chance for her to be admitted into MIT. This is much lower of odds than those that were given in the book, so no, the authors were not right when they stated the odds. Statistics from http://mitadmissions.org/apply/process/stats - Cole Thompson
DeleteWell it is clearly obvious then that this author know nothing about statistics, idiot. I guess that is why she is an author though, and not a math professor at MIT. By the way I didn't know there was such a thing as 0.6 people?
DeleteAs I continue reading on in the book Kate seems to be more like "bad Kate" rather than the "good Kate" she said she always acted and was praised by. I'm just wondering if she will be able to show her "good Kate" attitude again if more eventful things happen to Kate furthernalongnin the book
ReplyDeleteI too have thought about this! However, I think she was saying she was mostly good Kate at the beginning because there was a part of her who wanted to always be good Kate. She thought it was somewhat her duty to be good Kate but as the book continues you realize she isn't as much of good Kate as she thought she was... she's more of a bad Kate
DeleteI feel like as you read even more into it bad and good Kate struggle for power even more. Good Kate is sometimes winning and other times bad Kate is winning. Although as you get even farther into the book I feel like there is neither good or bad Kate any more. It is a whole new Kate that was formed by her experiences and struggles.
DeleteI think that as the book continues she seems to become more of a good Kate again. After Teri and Mikey have lived with her a few days and after she got rejected by MIT I think she begins to realize that there is more to life than what she thought. Also I think that if she we're to be a bad Kate she wouldn't have put up with driving the Litch kids around.
DeleteI agree with Susie. But I also don't think that it was bad Kate that she was being. I just think that she was being broken down, like a salt that dissociates, by her stressful environments.
DeleteI feel like she faded from using it as much through the book as she did at the beginning. I was thinking that the more she realized how hard life actually is, the more she had to make quick decisions and rationalize too quickly to use her "good" and "bad" Kate.
DeleteI wonder why there isn't harder vocabulary words in this book if this book is about Kate is who extremely intelligent? I would think that she would use a higher level of vocabulary.
ReplyDeleteI believe that the reason Kate uses such basic vocabulary in her dialog to emphasize her hatred for English. She doesn't seem to be very strong in literature, as on page 180 (SPOILER) she is told her essays she wrote for MIT were weak. Because of English being a weak subject for her, her vocabulary may not be as extensive as you would assume.
DeleteAlso, I believe that the author was trying to focus on getting most of her scientific facts correct, because in the Author Q & A, she mentioned how she barely passed chemistry. I agree with Kate's weakness in English being a cause as well, but this might have contributed to her limited vocabulary in most of the book other than the chemistry and calculus sections.
DeleteKate being bad at English may not be the reason for her basic vocabulary. It may just be that she is surrounded with people who are less intelligent than her. :D
DeleteAlert! I am on page 80!!!!! On page six of this book Kate is talking about her brother Toby. Toby is sick and and she thinks he will be all right. At one point she thinks to herself "Its not like this could get serious or anything". I think this is foreshadowing and my prediction is that he dies later in the book. What do you think? -Susie Reed
ReplyDeleteI do not think Toby will die. I think that it becomes apparent once the book continues that he is getting much better. Also what was making him feel worse was the fact that he had a cold and cough. Colds normally just pass by after a week or two. Also, I have asthma as well and I know from personal experience that colds can worsen it but it would take a lot to be able to actually full out kill Toby.
Deletehttp://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/cold-guide/asthma_colds
My hyperlink did not work before but here it is: infoonasthmaandcolds
Deleteso, I noticed that Kate's father, Reverend Jack, had an oddly close relationship with Teri's little brother, Mikey. I realize he is a reverend and his job is to love and help people but it just seemed that he was extra close with Mikey. Also, when Kate's dad came to the house when Ms. Cummings and Kate were there, Ms. Cummings rushed out of the house quickly like it was bad that the two families were together. Therefore, I predict that Mikey is Reverend Jack's son. This would in a way connect Teri and Kate which would cause tension and I feel like that is the way the book is set up, to be tense. What do you all think?
ReplyDeleteI do not think that Mikey is Reverend Jack's son. First, Kate talks about one brother, Toby. Second, the only way that I believe that Jack would have another child and not tell Kate and Toby is if he had it with someone after his wife died. That could be possible, however on page 53 Anderson writes, "...I overheard him tell somebody that he buried his heart when he buried Mom". That makes me think that he is very loyal to his family and he would not have the nerve to have a child with someone else.
DeleteI honestly don't think Rev. Jack is Mikey's dad. It would be a lot of work for the author to try and make that story line play out and I htink it would take away form the main point of the story. Plus generally I think Rev. Jack is just a good person and is trying to be good to these people who have a really bad life and don't have many people around (espically trustworthy male figures) to help them.
Delete*SPOILER ALERT* Why do you think the author killed off Mikey? I think it was maybe just a way to keep the plot rolling and find a way to transition the story from one point to the other. However I think there could be several possibilities. What do you guys think?
ReplyDeleteI think that by killing off Mikey it gave some type of future for Teri to open up herself in some sort of way to Kate. I loved Mikey and i was really upset that he died because he added some joy to the story. Back to the point though I just think that after Mikey died it gave some reality to Kate that not getting into MIT was not the end of the world and she can do other things with her life.
DeleteI believe the author killed off Mikey because it went more into Teri`s history. The reader finds out that Teri was raped along with her mom being abused. Also the author wanted to make a strong bond between Kate and Teri at the end of the book because Kate could relate in some way with the loss of her mom. The watch that was originally Kate`s is like a symbol for losing someone that was extremely close to you.
DeleteIn chapter two, while Kate is eating lunch with her friends she describes Sara and Travis` relationship, she says, "They R IN LUV," (33). Why do you think the author wrote it with the shortened phrase? I believe the author wrote the statement like this to show how young, teenage relationships are. It shows the contrast between teenage and adult relationships. It also shows how some teenagers are a bit lazy compared to adults because they don't spell out the whole phrase.
ReplyDeleteI think that the author did that to emphasize the point that they are in love. She probably also did it to show how modern teenagers react to situations like that. I really don't think that had much else to do with the story other than for emphasis.
DeletePersonally, I feel like she said it almost sarcastically because she was in a dull mood at the moment. Kate also explained how they would go off to college and not be able to see each other and how hard it would be. Maybe she threw it in to show teenage slang too, it's hard to tell.
DeleteEVERYONE WE DON'T HAVE TO DO QUESTION # 5 
. I got that straight from Mrs.Boylan's mouth! Have a great day :)
ReplyDeleteIn Catalyst, one of the many problems Kate had was that she only applied for MIT, and no other schools. My question is, why do you think the author added this into the story? What did it have to add to the plot?
ReplyDeleteOne reason I think the author had Kate only apply to MIT was to show how desperate she was to still have a connection with her mom (as her mom had been an accomplished student at MIT). Another reason could've been to add to the stress levels of Kate and her relationships with others hence adding some tension to the story. Her and Mitch began to fight in the grocery store when he brings up the subject of MIT. "I take a deep breath, fortify my shields, strengthen the force field"(118). She begins to push Mitch away because she knows she doesn't have any other college options and he keeps pressing her about those "other options".
DeleteI think the author added having Kate apply only to MIT to create a stronger bond between the reader and Kate, so when she receives the rejection letter from them the readers feel upset for her too. That is the only college she wants to go to so you help share the tension as she waits for the letter and when she receives it the readers feel disappointed too.
DeleteEarly on in the book Kate talks about how she doesn't really miss her mom that much and that she is not at all traumatized by her death. But then later on in the book when Toby starts asking about their mom's death she starts getting all defensive. Then we come to figure out she ran out on her mother's funeral. Kate's mom died in fourth grade, Kate's mom attended MIT, and Kate has wanted to attend MIT since fourth grade. Is this a coincidence? Is the real reason Kate is upset she didn't get into MIT is because she feels like in some way she let her mom down? In some way was Kate attending MIT her one way of connecting with her mom? Thoughts.
ReplyDeleteI agree with thinking that Kate wanted to go to MIT as a way of connecting with her mom. Throughout the book it seems as though Kate isn't very open about sharing her feelings and problems. She goes back and forth between "Good Kate" and "Bad Kate". So when she says outwardly how she didn't feel much connection with her mom I think it was a way of hide her true feelings in which deep down she still missed her mom and wanted MIT to be that connection so her mom wouldn't totally be gone.
DeleteI do believe that in some way, Kate's application to MIT was prevalent to her mother. The author probably covered up true feelings of Kate to be revealed in the end to show a dynamic change of some sort. Somewhere in the book, Kate actually reveals some the things that her mother had done. "He didn't write down that her favorite perfume smelled like roses. Or that she was Phi Beta Kappa at MIT. Or that she used to stay up all night with Toby to make sure he kept breathing"(213). Here, she shows reverence towards her mother, and memories from way back, which suggests she does remember. Also, she does talk defensively of not remembering the funeral, but she also tells of how she ran away, and she was half delirious when found, so perhaps, (as you said) MIT was her last hurrah in staying in touch with mother. I would also like to add to the fact that Kate seems to be like her mom in the small details that were mentioned on 213. The way she takes care of Toby is as though she is stepping into her moms shoes so she can be just like her. The admirable way, with little details found in the novel reveal that she does show remorse for her mother, even though she denied it previously.
DeleteWatch out! Don't read unless you read part two! Do you think it was more than a coincidence that "Teri put on a hundred pounds in ninth grade, then stopped eating in tenth." (pg. 28) Then when she was a senior three years later, she has a two year old son. Did she really gain a lot of weight or was she pregnant? I believe that her peers thought that she gained a lot of weight and got fat, but in reality she was pregnant and tried to gain extra weight as well so her classmates would not find out and question her. Than once she had Mickey, she looked liked she had lost a lot of weight. Thoughts.
ReplyDeleteWhoa. Did not even think about that. That is so.....whoa. I just wanted to let you know that this question is awesome! I'll try to come up with a good reply for this question so it will count but I just wanted to let you know that this is great.
DeleteWow, this is such a great question! I do believe that she was pregnant with Mikey her freshmen year and then had him during her sophomore year. Here's statistics about teen pregnancy. After reading these shocking results it makes you wonder how Teri managed to hide her pregnancy from everyone. Maybe her mother had something to do with it.
Deletehttps://www.dosomething.org/facts/11-facts-about-teen-pregnancy
For all you awesome people reading about Kate, we have new information on the discussion questions. Number 8 is now an extra credit opportunity based on how much you do for it. If you list more headings that deal with the stuff and the more you explain them the more potential extra credit you can get! :D
ReplyDelete--Simon Buchheit
This question pertains to the beginning of the book when Kate first mentions "Good Kate" and "Bad Kate". Kate introduces her two different sides with, "On the outside I am Good Kate...On the inside I am Bad Kate" (3). However when Kate comments on how both of her sides think of doing laundry on page 5, she speaks of good and bad Kate in third person. Grammatically speaking, this means Kate is not talking about herself. Who is the real Kate? What does this mean about her two different sides?
ReplyDeleteThroughout this book, we've read how Teri has stolen multiple items from Kate such as her watch and her necklace. This brings me to the conclusion that the author is trying to tell the readers something with Teri's thieving actions. Could it be foreshadowing that Teri will steal something with much more significance later on in the story? Mitchell? An acceptance letter to MIT? What do you think?
ReplyDeleteThis is a very good point! At this point in the story I'm not sure what she might steel, but its possible she could steel something. (however I don't think it will be Mitchell-if it is, I will be mad) I also think that some of her reason for stealing might be jealousy. As we find out more about Teri we realize that she had a pretty crummy childhood (and teenage years). Even though Kate might not think that her life is that great, to someone like Teri, it probably seems really nice. Teri stealing things from Kate, might just be her wanting to have a life a little more like Kate.
DeleteThis is a good point however I've noticed the things she has stolen both had been her mom's. So maybe the author is trying to tell us something by having both stolen things be Kate's mom's old things. Teri obviously would not know this but we readers do know this... but I don't know, just something to think about.:)
DeleteI believe Teri stole grief from Kate. The watch is a symbol for losing someone, so when Teri stole it, Mikey died and in the end of the book Kate allowed Teri to keep it because Teri had gone through so much. I also believe that the necklace resembles the rudeness Mitchell had towards Teri at the end of the book, like there was going to be a small conflict between Teri and Mitchell because the necklace was given to Kate from Mitchell.
DeletePlease say something to alert other people that haven't finished the book if you are going to give something away. Thanks :)
ReplyDeleteI was listening to a song today that was saying how we will all eventually pray to God for some kind of miracle or help no matter who we are, what we have been through or what we have done. So I was wondering what you guys think about Kate eventually maybe believing in God more later on due to all the problems she continues to face? I personally think she will eventually go back to God and one of the main reasons she stopped believing was because her mom passed away and she didn't find it fair of God to take her mom from them. What do you all think?
ReplyDeleteThis is a good thought. I've also been thinking about how Kate would change religion wise. I think it's obvious to us all that Kate is definitely a dynamic character and I believe that it would also apply to her beliefs in God. I don't believe she will stop believing in science altogether, however, I do believe she will put more faith in God and religion. I agree with you that she must have stopped believing in God once her mother died since the author writes on page 125, "I pray to Zeus...and to the Godplace I lost in me when I wasn't looking". Furthermore, Kate confesses to Toby, "I remember running out of the church" (Anderson 200) at her mother's funeral which is when she must have rejected God. When Mikey dies, Kate does not run away, I believe this is part of her dynamic change and the author is telling the readers that Kate is not running away from God, her faith, or trust.
DeletetEsting
ReplyDeleteBased on Kate's view of college and getting a fair education, what views might you perceive given the context of the book? Does it change your perception of high school life and your work ethic? Do the odds seem fair?
ReplyDeleteAt the beginning of each chapter in Catalyst, there is a safety tip underneath the chapter title. This is true for every chapter but one, which is Quantum Shift. This is chapter 0.0.0 in the book and is the chapter after Mikey dies. I'm just curios if you think the author left out the safety tip on purpose or on accident, and why?
ReplyDeleteI think the author left out the safety tip on purpose, because the term "Quantum Shift" doesn't have a specified definition. The term is informally used in physics to represent how a quantum can be spent in one way or another (think Schrodinger equation). With no set rules for Quantum Shift itself, perhaps she left out the safety rule on purpose.
Delete...Or you could all think I'm a loon and she just left the safety tip out because the emotional turmoil on all of the characters would make them not pay attention to any safety rules involved.
If you haven't reached quantum shift- don't read. What changes do you begin to see in Kate as a person when Mikey passes away? Both with internal and external conflict. Does it seem like she is battling herself, or those around her? Do you think that her change from the beginning of the book to end is good or bad?
ReplyDeleteI am on page 210 so if you have not gotten there yet, don't read!!!! While Teri was completely ruining her house and going crazy Kate tells her this isn't normal and she isn't thinking straight. However, in return Teri tells Kate, "When I wasn't looking, my kid wandered upstairs and got killed. He had his brains fried. I don't want to think, Kate. Never again." (page 207) This makes me wander if because Teri is so upset and distraught (I mean who wouldn't be if their son just died, especially while you're still only in high school) would she go even further and commit suicide? I mean I'm no sure if the author would do this in the last 20 pages, I just think that Teri is at a point where she would do just about anything and everything to get out of her pain and misery. What are your thoughts?
ReplyDeleteHonestly I believed that Teri could definitely have attempted suicide. Furthermore, I think suicide was much more realistic than the ending the author wrote which was very disappointing, especially since she could have written a conclusion that could have actually helped the readers if they know anyone with suicidal behaviors. Terri showed multiple signs of suicide which you can read on this website:
Deletehttp://www.webmd.com/mental-health/recognizing-suicidal-behavior
*Do not read if not at the end of the book yet* Why do you think that Teri decided to rebuild her house in the end? I mean, she didn't have Mikey anymore but she still decided to work on the house she wanted, with the playroom-kitchen combo. Why do you think she decided to stay at the house?
ReplyDeleteI think she decided to stay there because as she came out of her freak out zone right after Mikey died, she started to think more clearly. As she thought about it more I think she realized that one way of not losing Mikey even more was to rebuild the house just as she wanted it, with his room, and the playroom connected to the kitchen. Also, it was something she really cared about, and it would have been very hard for her to lose two things she cared about back to back.
DeleteI think she decided to rebuild the house because the state at which she was tearing it down was more like a mental wall she was breaking into to get to an almost "new" Teri. I just think it was a good comparison and it also was rebuilding Teri and Kate's relationship.
DeleteI think she continued building because the house was her last true asset that mattered to her... Even though she destroyed it and anhilated the kitchen, that was just her in state of shock trying to figure out what she should do. Like the others said, it was kind of her mental breakdown, but she decided to build it back up in the end because it meant a lot more to her than what she initially thought.
Delete*Do not read if you haven't read part three!!* Ever since the fire and Kate's rejection from MIT, Kate and Mitch have been having relationship problems. After Mikey died Travis and Sarah kept telling Kate that she should talk to Mitch because he had been acting funny. On page 181 she goes to his house and finds out that he has totally switched his major and things like the organization of his room is different. He even says, "Nope. This is me. I'm finally growing up, I guess. Time to deal with real life" (Anderson 188). What do you think caused the sudden switch in his personality? In my opinion, I think his sudden change was because of watching what Kate was going through. He spent a lot less time with her and I think that allowed him to think through his life as he watched Kate work through hers.
ReplyDeleteI think that when Mitch saw Mikey dead, something inside him twisted up. His 'growing up' was because he'd never seen a dead person in real life before, so it was a shock to him. He wanted to do something he thought would be useful and practical instead of follow his dream major so that the people around him, which were still alive, would be happy with his decisions.
DeleteI believe that seeing Mikey die was a turning point in Mitch's life. After Miley died, I believe Mitch incorrectly assumed that this lifestyle and career he wanted to pursue would not matter to the rest of the world. After this tragic event, he saw life from a different view and wanted to change his actions accordingly.
Delete*Do not read unless you've finished the book* At the very end of Catalyst, Kate promises to help Teri rebuild the house that she tore apart after Mikey's death. Do you believe she will continue to help Teri rebuild her house? In my opinion Kate does not seem like a person for physical labor. I believe she may help with the logical aspects of building the house, but not the hands on labor.
ReplyDeleteAlthough Kate may not help with the physical labor I think she will continue to help by being there for Terri. Kate could help in getting supplies, supporting Terri when she remembers Mikey's death and just being there so Terri has someone to talk and cry to. Even though Terri decided to continue on building the house she will still probably have moments when she contemplates her life and "what if" moments (which I feel everyone does if they've ever lost someone close to them) in which case Kate will be there for her.
Deletehttp://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-experts/2011/07/27/what-are-some-common-college-admissions-myths
ReplyDeleteAwesome URL to answer #4 on the discussion question sheet
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ReplyDeleteWhen Kate was struggling through not being accepted to MIT, do you think Teri was a distraction or do you think Teri made the situation more complicated? I believe that Teri was a major destraction for Kate because Teri wasn`t as difficult compared to not getting accepted because to Kate getting accepted was the most important thing for her. Also since Kate likes to take care of the whole family, she can also take care of Mikey and Teri which made more distractions. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI think that Teri was a major distraction as well as making the situation more complicated. When Teri's house first burned down and came to stay with Kate, I believe she made Kate's life more complicated by having Kate drive her different places and wanting certain things. Then later on when Mickey died I believe Kate thought that watching Teri and making sure she was not harming herself because of her deep feelings of sadness was her job. Kate was always watching out for Teri after that plot turn and I think it kept her from dealing with her problem of dealing with the rejection of MIT.
DeleteWas there ever a time when you thought Toby was going to die as opposed to Mikey? Earlier in the story Toby had a bad cough and I foreshadowed something would happen to him. What are your thoughts on this?
ReplyDeleteThrough the story I didn't even think about the fact that Toby could die as opposed to Mickey. I feel that the author put Toby's illness in the story to show how Kate had learned to run the house and take care of Toby and her dad after her mom died. Kate was the one who gave Toby his medicine and reminded her dad about giving Toby his medicine at breakfast. Through Mickey's passing we learn a lot about the kind of person Teri really is, she seems strong from the outside but being strong covers up the sadness, anger, and insecurity that she has on the inside.
DeleteYes! That's what I thought! I totally thought that Toby would die!!
DeleteTowards the end of the book, after the fire Teri's mother really was not involved in what Teri was doing anymore. " It takes Dad a couple of days to figure out that a) Teri is living in her house, and b) Teri is destroying the house... And her mother doesn't care one way or another, as long as she can keep living at Betty's." Why do you think that her mother does not care what her daughter does anymore? I think Teri's mother is trying to sort everything out with what has happened in her life after the shock of the fire and her daughter's son dying. And since her daughter is now eighteen, a legal adult she can do whatever she wants and her mom can't stop her. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI don't necessarily think that Teri's mom doesn't care about her, I think its just the fact that she, as well as Teri, is undergoing major amounts of emotional stress and depression. I also remember Teri saying something about her mom getting hit in the head by her dad(Teri's dad) so at that point her emotional stability went downhill. Its both on the account of mother and daughter issues, they both seem depressed.
DeleteI like to think of it as maybe her mom never cared about her and she had to deal with that as a child, and it maybe messed her entire life up by making Teri a bad tempered teenager.
DeleteBoth Teri and Kate lost a family member and are in the same grade but are very different. How do Teri and Kate grieve their loved one's death differently? In my opinion Kate grieves less than Teri but Kate has dealt with her mother's death for eight years and running helps her get over the grief she still has. Teri on the other hand lost Mickey tragically a couple weeks ago in the book and blames herself. She takes her anger out on the house which she was helping to rebuild by destroying the work they had gotten done. Below is a link to The Five Steps to Loss and Grief, does Teri exhibit any of them?
ReplyDeletehttp://psychcentral.com/lib/the-5-stages-of-loss-and-grief/000617
Teri definitely used anger from the five steps to grieve by destroying her house. Honestly, what Teri did was much more healthy than how Kate grieved. Kate didn't even grieve, she just ran away and avoided confronting the fact that her mother died. Teri on the other hand, confronted Mikey's death, she grieved, expressed all of her emotions, good and bad. I think the grieving process both of these girls went through just goes to show that Kate isn't superior or a better person than Teri. In fact, if anything, Teri is superior. Teri and Kate both experienced many hardships but Teri accepted them and moved on while Kate went the easy route and ran away.
DeleteMy link was copied incorrectly here is the link correctly copied:
Deleteclick here for link
http://www.bing.com/images/search?q=picture+of+katniss+everdeen+screaming&FORM=HDRSC2#view=detail&id=219DD4083E251318331347AEFEADBCE4A4EBC918&selectedIndex=8
ReplyDeleteIf you go on the link, this picture of Katniss Everdeen kinda reminds me of how Teri was screaming when she realized that Mikey was gone.
So you all know how bad of a life that Teri was living even before Mikey died. My question is why did it take such a huge tragedy like Teri's house burning down to get people to help them out?
ReplyDeleteIt seems that often people who are financially struggling or having other problems tend to keep it to themselves because they might be embarrassed or don't want to bother others with their situations. I think that's why people tend to not put themselves out there in helping others beacuase they don't want to be rude by getting into other people's situations and assume that they are struggling. Also people have their own lives and own problems so it is hard for us to take time out of our own busy schedules to help others. It was hinted that Terri was raped by her father and many victims will often keep to themselves, not wanting to be around others for the fear of what happened and other people finding out. (Here's a website that talks about the after effects of victims). http://www.pcar.org/blog/common-victim-behaviors-survivors-sexual-abuse When Terri's house burned down people didn't have to assume whether she needed help or not, it was obvious that she did need the assistance and care from others.
DeleteWhen Kate followed Teri to try to get her watch back right after the chicken dinner she went into Teri's house. When Kate was there her Dad showed up and he seemed very familiar with their family. It may just be me but I was wondering if the Reverend had any special relation with Teri's family.
ReplyDeleteFor those of you wondering about the discussion question # 7, you only have to find five examples of safety awareness and danger.
ReplyDeleteSo on the discussion question sheet there is a question about food. Have you guys come up with any creative ideas on how food was used through out the book as a symbol?
ReplyDeletehttp://www.clker.com/cliparts/d/b/f/D/h/M/blue-hand-print-md.png
ReplyDeleteI saw this picture and it reminded me of the room that Kate painted after Mickey died.
Mikey was always playing with a little toy firetruck. Do you think the author put that in there just because it's a common toy with children, or do you think she was trying to foreshadow to his death and the emergency personnel coming to try and revive him? Any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteIn the book, Mrs. Litch seems distant from Teri. Do you think it is because of her trauma from her abusive husband? Or do you think she doesn`t care much about Teri? I read this article on a website:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.thewomenscenter.org/content.asp?contentid=537\
I believe that the abuse had gone so far that it permanently damaged Mrs. Litch because it seems like she needs a lot of help throughout the day, but I also believe she didn`t want to have the responsibility of Teri and Mikey because she stayed at Betty`s house the whole time.
Ummmmmmmmmmmmmm........no. :p
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DeleteMy Correct Link
DeleteThis is my link to the womens center
DeleteMany of us had questions about a quote on page 173. Kate is thinking about Teri when she says, "She is made of titanium. Titanium doesn't tarnish easily. It doesn't conduct electricity so well either, considering it's a metal" (Anderson). Anderson says that because titanium is a metal it doesn't conduct electricity. However, we have learned that metals do conduct electricity. This link gives information on why titanium is not a good conductor. Anderson was right in that part, I just think her reason was unclear because metals do conduct electricity. One question I have for you is why did Kate compare her to titanium? I think she did because like she said it doesn't tarnish which might represent Teri's willpower and strength. It is also strong just like Teri.
ReplyDeleteclick here
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BWdLt3Afjrg
ReplyDeleteHere's a link to the song "Under Pressure" by Queen (No, Vanilla Ice ripped them off, not the other way around) and was one of the songs that the author listened to when she wrote this book. What part of the book do you think she wrote while listening to this song?
I think it was around the time where Kate found out about her not getting accepted into college and Teri was in her way and her life just seemed a mess. It just seemed like an "Under Pressure" kind of thing to go with it.
DeleteWhy do you think the author ended the book the way she did? Do you think there's any true significance behind the ending of the novel and the beginning? (I was kind of dissapointed with the outcome but that's beside the point) I was also wondering about the watch, which was initially Kate's but she ended up giving it to Terri anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe end of the book was my least favorite part of the book. It seemed to just be arubt and almost crude. I think Laurie Anderson should have given a type of feel where we get progress of what happened after the end. What do you think?
ReplyDeleteI feel like the room where Mikey's playroom was in which everyone painted the walls was metaphorical for a new start for Teri. Alike to a therapy almost, she seemed lighter than she was towards the beginning of the book.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.etsy.com/listing/120368076/paint-splashes-map-of-the-world-map?
ReplyDeleteThis reminds me of the playroom where everyone threw paint across the walls for Mikey right after he passed away.
Note to self: I will apply to a safety school when I begin applying to college.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.nacacnet.org/studentinfo/articles/Pages/PlanB.aspx
Why do you think Kate grew to hate God and Christianity? To no longer be a Christina something her father was all for? It seemed Kate's father wasn't really pushing religion on her. He was just doing his job by helping others and for some reason that bothered her. I think she also blamed God for her mother's death.
ReplyDeleteHer mother's death definitely had something to do with Kate's hatred towards Christianity. Since Kate is such a logical person the whole idea of Christianity might seem weird to her. Maybe her mother's death caused Kate to put her faith in scientific theories rather than God. It really surprised me that Mikey's death didn't cause Kate to become closer to her father and God.
DeleteSince the author ended the book open-ended, do you think that this sets up for a sequel? (I'm not quite sure if I would actually want to read it). Thoughts.
ReplyDeleteObviously Teri has had a rough life and all of the bad things that have happened to her couldn't have happened to her in one day. Throughout the book Teri gave hints of a long line of abuses to her and her mom by her father. Why do you think that Teri didn't speak up sooner? If she had could Mikey have even existed?
ReplyDeleteIf Kate's brother Toby had died instead of Mikey how do you think that would've changed the situation and the relationship of Terri and Kate? If Toby would've died I don't think Terri would've been as helpful as Kate was because she was not being forced to by anyone ( where as Kate's dad was making Kate drive Terri around). Also I think Kate and her father's relationship could've either grown closer by his death by realizing they are the only two left in the family; or it could've torn their relationship even father apart by no longer having Toby as a bind between the two.
ReplyDeleteIn the book, if Toby had died instead of Mikey, I believe Teri would not be involved with Kate and Kate would struggle more independently. I also believe it would make Kate even more of a dynamic character because Toby would be the second major loss that she has had. I feel like the loss would be so bad she wouldn`t care about anything else. I believe it would make the relationship between Kate and her father better. I think it would be very hard on Kate because she is an atheist and would have nothing to look forward for after life for her, Toby, and her mom.
DeleteI was wondering why the author decided to choose a house fire to get the Litch's out of the house. (I can't remember if it mentioned how the fire started). Why not a robber or fallen tree that landed on the house? Did it have to do with the scientific aspect of the book? Like maybe how in a fire the more wind the faster the fire will spread and the more damage. Just as how after Mikey died it sped up Terris emotion and she began to destroy the house and damage what so many people had tried to help her with in rebuilding her home?
ReplyDeleteIf a robber would have robbed the house then it wouldn't have caused the Litches to move in with Kate and her family. Eliminating this would've caused a huge change in the plot from what it is now and that would be too much work. Even if she had changed the disaster that got the Litches out of the house you would have to consider the things that would have needed to get fixed (such as the electrical socket) and the amount of damage the event would've caused. To choose a house fire required that the electrial socket needed to be fixed and the Litches to move out while everything got fixed.
DeleteAt the beginning of the book Teri is introduced when her and a group of football players get into a huge fight. Why do you think the author introduced Teri like this?
ReplyDeleteI was reading through the book and realized something about Kate's mom that I wanted to bring up with the rest of you. On page 22 Kate talks about her mom's death and says, "She got sick on Thursday and died three days later" (Anderson). I thought it through in my head that she must have died on Sunday which I thought was pretty significant since instead of going to church that morning, she went to her mom's funeral. Also, I thought three was a pretty significant number since in Christianity The Holy Trinity is made up of three parts of God. I was thinking the author purposely used Kate's death to make Kate hate God and lose her faith. What do you think?
ReplyDelete