Kate – Character Sketch
Kate Fitzgerald is one of the main characters. Kate Fitzgerald is the one character that, in this book, that everybody’s lives is conflicted by. Why is this, you ask? Kate has leukemia, and was diagnosed at the age of two-years-old. Here family’s life was definitely conflicted the most because the parent’s lives are all about taking care of Kate, meaning Kate’s siblings, Anna – her younger sister, and Jesse – her older brother, who is very close to a juvenile delinquent, mainly because he doesn’t get ANY attention from his parents.
Kate is a 16 year-old girl in this book with blue eyes. She did have blond curly locks when she was two, but because she has chemo-therapy, she doesn’t have any hair.
She is very weak because she does have leukemia and so with all of her therapy, she is weakened. She is strong in a sense though because she has fought the leukemia for these many years, and still is trying to.
In this book, it looks like Kate really likes her family, especially her sister, Anna. She and Anna is each other’s best friend, and they are inseparable, until the leukemia gets in the way. Even then, at the end of the day, they still love each other and worry about each other. For example, in the middle of the book, there is a quote from Anna; “’Friends?’ She shakes her head. ‘You can’t really have anyone over to your house when your sister needs to be resting. You don’t get invited for sleepovers when your mom comes to pick you up at 2:00 in the morning to go to the hospital. It’s probably been a while since you’ve been in middle school but freakhood is contagious.’
‘Then who do you talk to?’
She looks at me. ‘Kate,” she says.” (pg.111)
This shows how much Anna loves Kate, and how Kate loves Anna because she also talks to her. There’s also a quote in the book from Kate; “Kate doesn’t crack a smile. ‘See,’ she says, ‘my sister’s the one who’s always had to imagine a life without me.’” This shows that Kate really feels bad for Anna and understands why she’s going through with the law suit; her parents pay no attention to Anna, and they are forcing her to risk her life to save Kate’s. Sometimes it is as if they don’t care if Anna dies, they just want Kate to stay alive.
The main “bad guy,” per say, is leukemia. It’s affecting Kate’s life especially, but at the same time, everyone else’s. This could be the antagonist of the story if Kate was the protagonist. Kate definitely hates leukemia because it is killing her, and it is creating conflict in everyone’s lives around her. She, again, really feels bad for her siblings because she is taking away all of her parents’ attention from her siblings. She especially feels bad for Anna because they are almost like best friends. Kate really hates leukemia because it is killing her and it is separating her family. For example, in the middle of the book, Sara, Kate’s mother is explaining how the leukemia is affecting Kate and the family.
In the beginning of the book, Kate seems like the average teenage girl/big sister: she seems like she teases Anna but cares for her: “‘Preston looks like he’s made out of plastic.’
‘Then why did I hear you whispering his name last night into your pillow?’
‘Shut up,’ I say.
‘You shut up.’ Kate smiles at me. ‘He probably is gay, though. Quite a waste, considering the Fitzgeralds sisters are –‘” (pg. 13)
As the book goes on, Kate seems pretty much the same, but getting sicker and sicker every day that goes on: “She hands but everything I’ve given to her. ‘Where is everyone?’ she asks.
‘That’s what I hoped you could tell me.’
Anna’s gaze slides to the front door. “I hoped nothing happened to Kate.” (pg.110)
This is showing how Kate’s illness is unexpected and she is getting sicker, so she might have gone to the hospital.
I think that Kate is a very nice girl: she is caring for her sister, she tries with her brother, and she is also accommodating for her parents. A lot of people in her shoes would’ve been miserable and might’ve taken it out on their family and friends. Kate doesn’t; she always caring for her family and is trying to be as happy as possible before she dies. “’Everyone thinks about dying.’
‘Everyone thinks about you dying.’ I said.
The room went so still that I wondered if we ought to go for a different record – how long can two sisters hold their breath?
Then a twitchy smile spread across her face. ‘Well,’ Kate said. ‘At least now you’re telling the truth.” (pg. 135)
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