They should make a word for the mix of pride and envy you get when someone you love is really good at a thing. It’s like you want them to win so badly it feels personal. But also the thought of them winning makes you almost sick with longing.
-- Kate (chapter 19)

Importance: At the root of the friendship struggle in Kate in Waiting is the problem of competitiveness. Andy and Kate’s mutual crush on Matt (and his showing interest in both of them) necessitates that there be a “winner” and a “loser.” The author demonstrates how competitiveness has the potential to destroy a friendship. In the above quote, Kate is alluding to this theme when she describes Andy’s talent and how conflicted she is watching him perform. In addition to being an attribute of Andy and Kate’s friendship, competitiveness is a problem among the theatre kids, who need to...