By: Karen Cushman
Rate: Good
In the book Catherine Called Birdy, an old Jewish woman says to her, “Remember, Little Bird, in the world to come, you will not be asked ‘Why were you not George?’ or ‘Why were you not Perkin?’ but ‘Why were you not Catherine?’” What a deep question for her. Little Birdy, under the pressure of her father and her suitors, finds it hard to just be her true, inner self; who she is inside. Catherine is lively, daring, and kind. Yet she isn’t ladylike. Instead, she is more of the opposite; rowdy (for the 13th century) and excitable. This, of course, isn’t necessarily bad. The story would be rather dull if she wasn’t different from other girls during her century. But her mother’s expectations for her are to be prim and proper like a lady. Personally, I think that is much too prudish, but back then, you were required to do so if you were from a high rank like Catherine. Catherine struggles to please her mother and loathes her greedy father, who wants her to marry annoying suitors.
From the many times in the book, we can tell Catherine yearns to have a different life instead of the one she is destined to follow. Many times she wants to be someone else, other than just herself. She even thinks she would rather be a pig boy (though she retracts that later), as seen in the following quote: “…why must the lady of the manor do all the least lovable tasks? I’d rather be the pig boy”. We can tell from this how she despises being a lady. In other quotes from her journal, Catherine states she would rather be one of villagers. She knows that they can choose who they want to marry, instead of being forced to marry a detestable, filthy, and foul pig just because he is wealthy. Just being “Catherine” is a difficult job for her, for she doesn’t quite know who she wants and is supposed to be.
When the wise, old Jewish woman asks Catherine the serious question, she is confused and puzzled, as evidently stated in the book: “What did that mean […] confused and more than a little sad, I left them for the Wooton harvest fair”. But at the end, she realizes what it means: “I am who I am wherever I am […] I also cannot survive by myself if I am not myself. […] I realize that Shaggy Beard has won my body, but no matter whose wife I am, I will still be me”. This quote is the theme of the entire book. Catherine must and will always be herself, no matter where she is. Her beautiful, true self.
Although Birdy gets out of marrying the pig at the end, I still think it would’ve been a better ending (nonetheless, a more sad one) if Shaggy Beard hadn’t died so suddenly and without much reason or background. There could’ve been an epilogue, where after living with the pig for one to two years, he dies and Catherine gets to marry his amazing son. It would’ve helped Birdy be herself even more, and learn how to deal with the pig.
“I am no minstrel and no wart charmer but me, Birdy, Catherine of Stonebridge, daughter of Lord Rollo and the lady Aislinn, sister to Robert and Thomas and Edward and little Eleanor, friend of Perkin, goat boy and scholar”. Catherine grows in a year, her thoughts more mature. She is nobody, absolutely nobody, except herself. Simply herself.
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