Catalina

In the novel, Catalina calls Henry Kissinger her “favorite Harvard alum” and often imagines that an army of “little Henry Kissingers” lives in her body and gives her energy (45). What is the significance of Kissinger and Catalina’s fixation on him in the novel?

Ty reveal about Catalina and how she sees the world? Consider this especially in relation to the narrative as a first-person perspective.

As a young woman, Catalina’s grandmother wanted to become the he novel includes a huge number of literary and cultural references. What do the“valedictorian” of “all the orphans in the world” (16). At the end of the novel, Catalina uses the exact same words to describe her desire to become the “valedictorian” of the world’s “abandoned girls.” What connection is there between Catalina and her grandmother? What do they have in common, and how are they different? Draw on examples in your answer.

Analyze Catalina’s relationships with the men in her life. In what ways are they different from her fantasies? What does this add to the narrative?

What are the various social pressures that Catalina feels to succeed, and how does the novel show that they affect her?

Describe Catalina’s relationships with white characters in the novel. Does the novel present her perspective as right? Why or why not?

What does Nathaniel’s character represent? Is Catalina’s relationship with him presented as damaging or useful to her?

Research the author’s own experiences at Harvard and her comments about the semi-autobiographical nature of the novel. In what ways does this change your reading of the narrative as a work of fiction?