In the novel, Fangirl, author Rainbow Rowell illustrates the struggles of self-discovery a young woman Cath, goes through as she and her twin sister grow into adulthood. Throughout the story the protagonist, Cath, finds herself faces with the obstacles of learning independence and surviving the stress of college life.
Cath Avery, an eighteen-year old girl living in Nebraska, discovers many things about life during her first year of college. The story follows the conflicts she endeavors with a bipolar, work addicted father and a twin sister who is breaking away from her family as well as dealing with her own issues. Cath deals with her first ever boy troubles as well as the conflicts with her family, struggles of college and stress of being a popular fanfiction writer. “In new situations, all the trickiest rules are the ones nobody explains to you” (Rowell 15). …show more content…
The underlying cause of the conflicts in their family is focused around their mother. After Laura up and left them, Wren began acting out and stealing, Cath became more emotional and anxious and Arthur, their father, grew much more manic than before. “People are going to feel sorry for me, and I won’t ever have any normal relationships- and it’s all going to be because I didn’t have a mother. Always. That’s the ultimate kind of broken” (Rowell___). This quote conveys that her mother was a major part of her life and has affected who she is as a person.
Wren, Cath’s sister, proves she’s the dynamic character in Fangirl by changing throughout the story. At the beginning of the book Wren wants to break free from Cath and be an independent person. As the plot progresses she begins to let go of the idea that she can’t be close with Cath and have a social life at the same time. It may take a wakeup call from her father and a trip to the emergency room but she soon realizes the decisions she’s made have negatively affected her