48 pages • 1 hour read
Gillian McDunnCaterpillar Summer
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2019A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Themes
Responsibility and Commitment
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.
Parallel to Cat’s responsibilities are Mom’s. She remains devoted to her work—writing and illustrating children’s books and teaching—which brings her meaning and a sense of fulfillment. Yet, she has promised Cat that she will be able to devote time and attention to her on their three-week summer trip. Mom repeatedly fails to meet this commitment, frequently putting work first, whether it means attending a banquet at the college or rushing back to Atlanta after a visit rather than fishing with Cat. Mom is explicit that “work comes first” (135), though she does recognize the ways in which she is shirking her commitments to Cat. Ironically, she harbors anger and resentment toward Macon, who fiercely devoted himself to his own work when Mom was a child, leaving little time and attention for her. With time and reflection, Macon has learned the lesson that Mom needs to learn: Responsibilities should be balanced to allow time and care for others and oneself. It is through Cat’s assertion that she should not bear all the weight of Chicken’s care, and through Macon’s pointing out the ways in which Mom’s attitude toward parenting and work parallels his own attitude when Mom was growing up, that Mom begins to see the error of her ways. The novel’s ending finds that a healthy balance can be struck by both Mom and Cat in the future.
Autonomy and Agency
Throughout the novel, Cat enjoys a great deal of independence. Mom trusts her to navigate San Francisco on her own, with Chicken in tow. This is proof of Cat’s maturity and reliability. Yet, from the beginning of the novel, Cat hints at the dissonance she experiences regarding her responsibility for Chicken. Cat feels she must put Chicken’s needs and preferences first and this often results in Cat choosing to put herself second. For instance, she is excited by the invitation to join her classmates at a local ice cream parlor but turns it down because she knows the environment will cause Chicken discomfort.
For the most part, Cat accepts that this is how her life must be, but during her time on Gingerbread Island, Cat increasingly longs for autonomy and a separation from Chicken. Cat is only able to begin to establish this autonomy when she recognizes that Chicken trusts Lily. Initially, Cat is adamant that she must be the one to care for Chicken, not allowing Lily to take a turn at handling Chicken’s routine. But gradually, Chicken grows comfortable away from Cat. This is evidenced when Chicken begins sleeping in the guest room, apart from Cat. At times, Chicken chooses to spend time with Lily instead of with Cat, such as when Cat invites him along to the general store, but Chicken declines. Lily’s stepping in to assume some of Cat’s duties allows Cat to explore activities separate from Chicken: She spends time getting to know Harriett, biking and playing miniature golf, and she enjoys taking walks and fishing with Macon. That Cat can do these things alone shows that her character is gaining autonomy.
Indeed, Cat expresses the desire to keep her newfound autonomy when they return to San Francisco. She exerts agency over her life by sharing with Mom the ways in which the responsibility for Chicken inhibits her. This shows an important growth of character.
Chicken, too, becomes increasingly autonomous during his time at Gingerbread Island. He learns to resolve conflict by himself and speaks up when Cat mistakenly presumes that he is hurt or upset. In refraining from intervening, Cat teaches Chicken how to navigate the world. This autonomy is something that Mom agrees is important for Chicken to acquire. Her decision to seek out after-school care opportunities for Chicken during the subsequent school year will serve to help Chicken gain independence as he hones his coping skills and will alleviate Cat’s responsibility for caring for Chicken, thus allowing her to grow as a unique and independent individual.
Family Dynamics
In many ways, the Gladwell family is a typical one. The death of Cat’s and Chicken’s father, however, has placed extra financial strain on Mom—a stress that Cat is keenly aware of. While Cat grieves the loss of her father, she selflessly sets her own feelings and needs aside to allow Mom to focus on her work. This is a large sacrifice, but Cat is keenly aware that Mom depends on her to be the “glue” that holds the family together. Mom’s dependence on Cat is amplified by Chicken’s disability. Importantly, they do not seek out or rely on outside help in caring for Chicken. Cat performs her role of the family caretaker out of love for both Chicken and Mom.
The importance of family is reinforced by the Krishnamurthy family. Though they do not directly appear in the novel, Cat alludes to them being “like family” in the degree of closeness they share with the Gladwells. Their absence has created an emotional hole for Cat. She looks forward, then, to her visit with them and is disappointed when it is canceled. That the Krishnamurthy family travels to India to be with Rishi’s ill grandmother further underscores the importance of family. This family, too, strives to support one another as much as possible.
Through her visit with her grandparents, Cat unexpectedly fills the emotional gap left by her friend Rishi and her own mom. While Cat grows to resent Mom’s increased focus on work, she grows close to Macon, learning of the way in which the dynamics of Mom’s childhood mirrored Cat’s own. Macon’s drive to excel in his career was a trait he hoped to instill in Mom. Ironically, he did so, but not in the kind of career he would have preferred her to pursue. Further, Mom resented the time that Macon devoted to his job, as it left little time and attention to be devoted to her. Cat empathizes with this position, as Mom has inherited Macon’s “workaholic” drive, to the detriment of her relationship with Cat. In this way, the novel illustrates how children can emulate their parents’ behaviors unintentionally, growing up to repeat them. Much of the novel’s conflict requires family members accept recognize and accept responsibility for the way they have unintentionally harmed one another or inhibited their relationships. Cat proves to be the “glue” when she successfully repairs the damage done to Mom’s and Macon’s past relationship, urging them to talk through their disagreement and past hurt.
Ultimately, the novel suggests that though family dynamics can be complicated, open communication and a balance between reliance on one another and allowing space for individuals to grow and thrive is essential.
