Catherine Called Birdy Character Analysis

Not being free means being trapped. Catherine, in the book Catherine, Called Birdy by Karen Cushman, is simply trapped because she does not have the choices that some people do have. Like almost every young person, Catherine sometimes does not understand why some aspects of her life are how they are. She realizes later that they all happen for a reason. Catherine sometimes feels like her role in the world is unpurposeful. Catherine's unwavering commitment to work with the purpose of making life better really pays off. During her fourteenth year of life, Catherine encounters three major challenges she must overcome: her long record of admirers, her lady tasks, and herself as an individual.
Although Catherine cannot escape many situations, the …show more content…
Catherine has been able to escape her chores temporarily, but she will never be able to get out of them forever. Catherine often complains about annoying chores saying, "I can stand no more lady tasks" (10). Catherine’s chores include cleaning, doctoring, cooking, sewing, hemming, and embroidering. No matter how many chores Catherine is bombarded with, she often finds a way to circumvent them by perhaps throwing her needlework to the dogs, the pigs, then the privy. Catherine is not the little lady her mom and nurse intend for her to be. What she really wants is to be free; to run in the village or frolic through the High Meadow with Perkin. Catherine's life is filled with contradiction. She states that being a lady had two conflicting meanings: being dainty, and working hard. "Why must I learn to walk with a lady's small steps one day and sweat over a steaming kettle the next?" (10). She probably prefers one or the other, but both is just too much for Catherine. Women in that time were expected of a lot. Catherine's endless chores really drag her down on the days when she much rather be painting pictures. Regardless though, she uses her determination to work through it all, because that is just who she is as a …show more content…
The book achieves this by using actual examples that people can relate to. Though it is likely different for everyone, Catherine's three most terrible problems to overcome are Shaggy Beard, lady chores, and finding a way to be true to herself. Even though Catherine is trapped in many aspects of her life, from lovers to chores, she does not let her life be wasted. Instead, she tries to look at the bright side of things and find ways to get rid of the problem, even if she is not able to solve it. Catherine’s opinions on everything really change over the duration of the book. At first she has it set in her mind that she will never get married, but then she becomes very willing to wed Stephen. Catherine’s decision to wed the pig’s son is a smart choice because she feels like she connected with Stephen. In the end, all of Catherine’s decisions are beneficial to her. With her new changes, Catherine will have to start doing chores more regularly and willingly. She will have to prepare to be a good wife and a good mother. The words courage, determination, perseverance, and strength all explain how Catherine is able to overcome her roadblocks. If she is not able to completely conquer them, she finds a way to somehow make them