“I wish everyone had the same chances…Because it stinks a big one that they don't.”
Catherine utters these words while making their wishes; she speaks on how wishes could come true for some and not for others. Having an autistic brother and a handicapped friend, Catherine’s assertion goes beyond the surface meaning. In that, she sees these people who are close to her who have a hard time getting through life than others. Furthermore, seeing the prejudice that is faced by mentally or physically challenged individuals. Thus, the statement expresses her wish that everyone could have the same advantages in order to get rid of the unfair dynamic.
“Why can't the world be simpler, like it is for guinea pigs? They only have a few rules: Crying will get you attention. If it fits in your mouth, it's food. Scream if you don't get your share.”
As an owner of two guinea pigs, Catherine makes an observation on how they live their lives and how humans do. Because she makes these rules for her brother David that he should use to makes things easier for him and those around him, Catherine knows how hard it is to put rules to the human experience. Henceforth, she wishes the world would be easy for humans as it is to guinea pigs. Having a family member who is autistic is challenging because people around them have to make life more manageable for them. Thus, they always hope they could find a simpler solution to actually help them get through everyday interactions.
“Looking closer can make something beautiful.”
Catherine gets to see how society perceives mentally and physically challenged people and parallels it with her own perception. She finds a friend in Jason who is handicapped rather than in Kristi by noticing that he is a much truer friend despite Kristi’s prejudices. Furthermore, having an autistic brother makes her see the beauty in the human soul that goes beyond the mental challenges. Additionally, the assertion encompasses the essence of the novel. In that the author using her real-life experiences as inspiration aimed to showcase the heartening and meaningfulness of caring for a mentally challenged individual.
