Caterpillar Summer

Though she has only just completed fifth grade, Cat is often solely responsible for Chicken’s care. She recognizes that Mom, as a recently single parent, must shoulder the financial responsibilities for the family on her own, and Cat’s care of Chicken frees Mom to do so. In many respects, Cat takes pride in her care of Chicken, knowing that only she truly understands how Chicken functions and how to prevent him from becoming upset. She takes her responsibility seriously, putting the care and safety of Chicken first, arranging her life and plans so that Chicken’s comfort zone is maintained.

Yet, it is apparent that this responsibility is often anxiety-inducing for Cat. She speaks of constantly thinking of him, even when she is in school or in the middle of a task, worrying that she might have forgotten to take care of something for him, such as removing a tag from his shirt, or worrying that he may run away while on a class trip. As the novel unfolds, Cat increasingly expresses her frustration for her responsibility for Chicken’s care. She feels unappreciated and taken for granted by Chicken. She struggles with knowing Mom needs and expects her to care for Chicken and wanting to explore her own interests and desires.