Characters – WJECCatherine

• Catherine is Beatrice’s niece. She is the daughter of Beatrice’s sister, Nancy, who died when Catherine was a baby. Catherine considers the couple as her parents, although it is intriguing that she calls them by their names and not mother and father. She is 17 years old, attractive and lively. She is at college studying to be a stenographer. At the start of the play she is bursting with excitement because she has been offered a job at a big plumbing company. She has not actually completed her course yet, but has been told that she is the best student in the whole class and that she will be able to accept the job and still take the end-of-year examination. She will be paid $50 a week for this job, which is a good rate. She is very disappointed when Eddie tells her that he had hoped for something better; Maybe a lawyer’s office someplace in New York in one of them nice buildings.
• When Eddie, unable to resist her, gives in and says she can take the job, she tells him and Beatrice excitedly that she is going to buy all new dishes with my first pay! I mean it. I’ll fix up the whole house! I’ll buy a rug! She only wants to please Eddie at the start of the play, but things change once she meets Rodolpho.
• The stage direction instructs that the first words she speaks to Rodolpho are said wondrously and it soon becomes obvious that she is attracted to him; You married too? No. As the evening progresses she and Rodolpho are discussing music – specifically the popular song Paper Doll - and this sets them apart from the others who are of the older generation. She loves to hear about his life back in Sicily, and thinks it sounds romantic. She does not really appreciate how poor people are over there.
• As time passes, Catherine and Rodolpho’s relationship becomes serious. They go out to explore the city together, which is natural behaviour for a young couple. Catherine is made to feel guilty by Eddie, who tells her he hardly sees her any more as she is always out with Rodolpho. Catherine asks Eddie, What’re you got against him? I don’t understand.
• Catherine is astonished when Beatrice tells her that she needs to dress more decently and act more appropriately when she is with Eddie. It is obvious that she has never considered her behaviour to be unsuitable. As Beatrice tells her that she ought to move out, the stage directions say of Catherine, [She is at the edge of tears, as though a familiar world had shattered.] This marks the end of her childhood. She is a woman now.
• Catherine tells Rodolpho that Beatrice is not a good wife to Eddie. She has a very simplistic view of the situation, thinking that Beatrice nags Eddie. She and Rodolpho have sex for the first time, and this drives Eddie to the verge of insanity. He kisses Catherine on her mouth, and then does the same to Rodolpho. The stage directions say that [she is staring at him in horror.] After this, Catherine helps Rodolpho and Marco move upstairs to a different apartment. Beatrice tries to make the peace between Catherine and Eddie, but the moment is interrupted by the arrival of the two Immigration officers. We are told that Catherine [stands a moment staring at Eddie in a realized horror.]
• Catherine lies blatantly to try and save Rodolpho, telling the officers that he was born in Philadelphia. Her treatment of Eddie now is very different from the start of the play; she asks him Who the hell do you think you are? adding, You got no more right to tell nobody nothin’! Nobody!
• As Eddie dies, she takes back her words, insisting, Eddie I never meant to do nothing bad to you.

Full of enthusiasm for life

How is Catherine like this?

At the start of the play, Catherine is excited about her new job and how she is going to help Eddie and Beatrice.

Evidence

I’m gonna buy all new dishes with my first pay! I mean it. I’ll fix up the whole house! I’ll buy a rug!

Listen a minute! I came to school this morning and the principal called me out of the class, see? To go to his office.

Analysis

Catherine behaves as any young girl who has been praised for her ability would. She sees a bright future, going out into the world to work, earning a decent wage and helping her aunt and uncle financially. She is completely unaware of Eddie’s over-protectiveness at this point.

Innocent

How is Catherine like this?

She offers Rodolpho sugar in his coffee.

Evidence

Analysis

There is an obvious double meaning in Rodolpho’s reply, which goes over Catherine’s head but which Eddie understands very well.

Social and historical context

In 1950s America, young women had been used to going out to work since the Second World War. The younger generation of women expected to work until they married and had children. Girls like Catherine were excited about the new opportunities for them in the workplace. Most of the jobs available to them were as secretaries, so it was important for them to learn the skills of typing and shorthand. It was still seen as acceptable for women to be men’s assistants; nobody expected women to be in positions of power at this time because they were expected to leave and become housewives eventually.

Analysing the evidence

In Italy he says, every town’s got fountains, and they meet there. And you know what? They got oranges on the trees where he comes from, and lemons. Imagine – on the trees? I mean it’s interesting. But he’s crazy for New York. (Catherine)