Catalyst

At the beginning of the novel, Kate accepts her friends, including her boyfriend Mitch, with unquestioned allegiance. These friends have always been part of her life. They text constantly; they chat in class; they share secrets and gossip; they sit at the same table in the cafeteria. They are all from upscale families, destined for prestigious private universities.

Her friends represent aspects of Good Kate’s personality. They are part of her world of competitive academics, extracurricular activities, and dutifully attended-to chores. They reflect her social class and desire for a life of status and achievement. They do not care or think about people whom they consider below them unless it is to mock them. They are an echo chamber, a hall of mirrors that makes it difficult for Kate to see past her myopic viewpoint.

Two events move Kate beyond such limited notions of friendship. Her rejection from MIT and growing connection with Teri give Kate a chance to see how shallow her friends are—and by extension, Kate herself. They offer Kate only empty cliches about how to handle the rejection from MIT. They allow Teri to be l tormented Teri in school and at the diner. They easily judge each other by their clothing, electronics, and future colleges. They deal in gossip and are quick to judge.

Teri, the school outcast, provides Kate with the opportunity to grow. Both Kate and Teri realize that they need the other. When they promise to help each other rebuild Teri’s house, they demonstrate a connection that Kate’s other friendships lack. After getting to know Teri and her history, Kate realizes that Teri is far stronger than herself; this humbles her. Friendship, Kate learns, is about respecting and helping others, and in turn feeling their support and respect. 

As Kate matures, she comes to embrace what she initially disdained: the importance of having a community. Beyond friendships and family, a person needs to engage with others to give and receive support.

At the beginning of the novel, Kate’s world is centered on her own issues, anxieties, and achievements. She disdains her father’s idea that Christianity in action requires community service. She finds it a chore to go to church and volunteer at the fundraiser. It doesn’t strike her as significant that church money goes to helping the homeless and underprivileged.

When her father explains the concept of an Amish barn-raising, Kate understands the power of community. She sees the impact of Christianity in action when the congregation rebuilds the Litch’s’ fire-damaged home. The volunteers don’t know the Litches and, in some cases, dislike them, but their desire to serve those in need inspire them to help.

Seeing Christianity in action is not enough to prove to Kate the importance of community. Teri will be the one to complete this education. Kate comes to understand that no one is alone, that with friendship, small-scale miracles can happen. Kate had always understood community to be something outside herself. Her independence and self-reliance led her to disdain group activities; only the weak need others’ help, she thought. When she decides to help Teri rebuild her house, Kate not only realizes that she needs community; she can also be community for someone else.