Understanding

Throughout the novel, Catherine gains insight into the various aspects of life. She has a stable basis for understanding the ways of life through her father’s storytelling which give her perspective on a broad number of situations. From a young age, Catherine was forced to grow up and take care of the household. On top of this load, she was also faced with her mother’s death and the death of her infant brother. Later, she is faced with the sudden death of her best friend. Catherine quickly has to come to an understanding of death and how easily life can be taken away. She also comes to understand the difficulties inherent in life, such as when she is horrified to learn about so many blind people living in New Hampshire, or slavery.

As she grows older, she is faced with the prospect of her father’s...