Name____________________________________
Catherine, Called Birdy Response Log
Please answer the following questions in your English journal. Answer them in Cornell
note fashion: In the left column write the month and question number, and in the notes
section, write your complete answer.
September:
Infer why Catherine is called “Little Bird” or “Birdy.” Is this a metaphor? Why?
What do we learn about Catherine from her September 20th entry?
Why is her father regarding her as he would a horse he is trying to sell?
Is Catherine truly poor, as she insists? How do we know?
What does Catherine’s curiosity about the hanging show us about her?
Catherine says that her mother wishes to make her a lady—dumb, docile, and
accomplished. What does this show us about Catherine’s feelings towards a
woman’s role?
7. What do her words about being a crusader with Uncle George show about her?
8. What do you think about her relationship with Perkin? Any predictions?
9. Does she still feel the same way about keeping her journal at the end of
September? How can you tell?
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October:
1. What does her telling about the Jews who stayed with them show about beliefs in
her day? What do her opinions about the Jews seem to show? Give an example
from the text.
2. At the end of October 3rd, what lesson does she learn that we could all remember?
3. The Jewish mother tells Catherine that at the end of her life she will only be
asked, “Why were you not Catherine?” What does this mean?
4. Why does everyone love Edward?
5. What happens on October 11th and what does it tell us about England in 1290?
6. Why, specifically, would Catherine want to illustrate holy books for a living?
7. How are Catherine, Aelis, and geese all similar?
8. Why does Catherine love Uncle George? Why does she say she “must doubt” his
stories of how terrible the crusades are?
9. Why does Catherine choose the faces she chooses for her wall painting?
10. What does the end of October 30th’s entry seem to foreshadow?
November:
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Who does Catherine perceive her real family to be?
Why do you suppose Catherine put a toad in George’s bed and cried at dinner?
What does November 18th seem to suggest about bathing habits?
At the end of November 23rd’s entry, what does her mother’s warning mean?
Who is she being compared to?
5. What was Catherine’s name saint famous for? How are they similar?
6. What is Catherine awaiting at the end of November?
December:
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What does Catherine learn from her encounter at the hanging?
Why is it relevant that Catherine prays for the Jews expelled from England?
What does Catherine reveal about “real ladies” on December 14th?
How did Catherine dispose of her next suitor?
On December 22nd, her feelings toward Aelis and George seem to have changed.
How does she feel after cursing them?
6. What was the prize for coming up with the best riddle at the Christmas Revels?
Why do you suppose Catherine pouted and left after winning the prize?
January:
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What did Catherine spend most of her Christmas doing?
What do you suppose Catherine’s dream means?
On January 12th, what does Catherine imagine? Why?
What does Catherine report about Aelis on January 13th?
Why was Catherine secretly grateful to her father on January 16th?
February:
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Why does Catherine object to Fulk? How does she get rid of him?
How, on February 4th, does she indicate she is like her father?
How, on February 5th, does she indicate she is like St. Agatha?
Why is she afraid of her mother’s pregnancy?
Why is Catherine so troubled at Roger Moreton’s funeral?
Catherine supposes Madame Joanna will be perfect. What do Catherine’s
assumptions about her show about Catherine?
7. What does Madame Joanna’s fortune mean? How is it similar to what the Jewish
mother told her towards the beginning of the book?
8. What does Madame Joanna say about her own life?
9. What happened with Robert towards the end of February?
10. How does Catherine say light and happiness are similar on February 26th?
11. What did Robert do to help Catherine?
March:
1. What does the first entry in March tell us about Catherine’s real feelings towards
marriage?
2. How does Catherine feel about Lent?
3. On March 8th, Catherine says she is not innocent. What experiences does she list
that make her not innocent?
4. Catherine says, “I know priests say lepers are paying for their great sins, but I
know plenty of great sinners who still have their fingers and noses” (118).
(Lepers are people with leprosy, a skin disease that often causes body parts to be
disfigured.) What is the meaning behind her statement?
5. Who does Catherine end up being betrothed to? How does she feel about the
arrangement?
6. Who does Catherine consider a worthy suitor for herself? What is the one
problem with liking this boy, as detailed at the end of March 27th?
7. Why does Catherine say at the end that she wishes she were a villager?
April:
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What does Geoffrey do that upsets Catherine?
Who does Catherine compare Jesus and Mary to on April 12th?
What did Sir Shaggy Beard insist upon that so upset Catherine’s father?
Who did George bring with him that troubled Catherine? What did Catherine end
up saying about this person?
5. Why can’t Catherine talk to Aelis or George about her troubles?
6. How does Catherine appear to defeat Sir Shaggy Beard?
May:
1. What bad news does Catherine get on May 2?
2. Why was Catherine so mad at Perkin on May 3?
3. How does Perkin compare Catherine to a pig? How does Morwenna say she is
like a dog?
4. Why is the saint on May 31st significant?
June:
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What happens on June 2?
Why does Catherine help an ant? How are they similar?
What do you think of the Spanish physician?
Why is Catherine glad to have Morwenna on June 13th?
On June 22nd, what does Catherine imagine about Shaggy Beard?
How does Perkin feel about his granny? How do we know?
How do Meg & Alf get their home?
What does Perkin give to Catherine?
July:
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How does Catherine determine to stall the wedding?
How does Catherine really feel about Morwenna?
What happened to Aelis?
After July 13th, what kind of a change are we beginning to see in Catherine?
What proof do you have of this?
5. What does Catherine’s mother try to teach her about marriage? What is the
meaning of her parable about spitting in the air?
6. What does Catherine notice on July 26th?
7. Why is Catherine happy on July 30th?
August:
1. What does Catherine seem to be learning on August 13th?
2. On August 23rd, Catherine writes, “How can we think ourselves made in the
likeness of God when we act worse than beasts?” What does this mean?
3. What is the dilemma with her taking the bear?
4. How are she and the bear alike?
5. August 31st is very significant. Why?
September:
1. How does the pregnancy turn out?
2. What is significant about the recovery on September 8th, the birth day of the
Virgin Mary?
3. How does Catherine imagine God to be, and why?
4. How is Robert like an onion?
5. What does Catherine do on September 17th? Why?
6. The Jewish mother’s words come back to Catherine on her journey. Why are they
so significant now?
7. Catherine says she is like a biblical warrior. How?
8. How is September 23rd’s saint significant?
9. Catherine says she is “prepared to love” Stephen. What do you think this means?
10. Did the book turn out as you expected? Why or why not?