The Title Suits The Story Perfectly

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – The Title Suits The Story Perfectly

“The title suits the story perfectly”

Using details from the novel you have studied, discuss whether you agree with the statement above. Give reasons for your answer. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

SAMPLE ANSWER

The title of the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail is simple and catchy that suits the novel perfectly because it captures the actions of a grandfather and a grandson who cause a frenzy when the police launch a massive search for them. The grandfather has run away from an old folks‟ home he hates and the grandson has escaped from a horrible children‟s home.

The title has the semblance of a challenge to the people tracking down the pair. It sounds cheeky, insolent and child-like and it reflects the character of the runaway pair. The grandfather, suffering from age-related ailments can be childish and does not realize the implications of what he has done. In his pursuit, he has caused bodily harm to a youngster who recognizes his grandson, Rory, from the news on television and wants to turn them in. Then, he steals a car to get away. All these can be considered criminal but he is happily nonchalant or ignorant of all the legal implications. His grandson and accomplice, Rory, is a child who knows no better. The expression „If You Can‟ is not only tongue-in-cheek, but also suggests that tracking them down can be difficult. One would think it would be easy to catch them but it is not. Although what they are doing is unbelievably crazy, they have earned the sympathy of many people along the way and this has helped them to evade the police for so long. First, Darren, Rory‟s best friend, plans the first lap for them when he steals his mother‟s caravan key for them to hide out while they think of a better plan after they leave the homes.

Then, they meet Sammy and Ruby who offer them help as the police are closing in on them. Next, there is Rab at the petrol station who gives them a respite and convinces them that they should go and find Jeff McIntosh, Rory‟s father, in Liverpool because it is time for him to do something „in his whole useless life‟. After that, there is Annie, Rab‟s girlfriend, who hands them over to her cousin, Norma. Norma finally brings the whole saga to an end when she decides to call the police because she can see that the old man really needs medical help.

The title suits the story perfectly because it is a story about a grandfather and a grandson on the run. It is also a reflection of what the story is – the police are not looking for regular criminals but just two ordinary people whom the police do not want to apprehend but to protect and keep out of harm.

One Decision That You Disagree

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – One Decision That You Disagree

In the novel you have studied
•  Pick any one decision in the novel made by someone or some party that you disagree

•  Explain why you disagree.
Support your answer with evidence from the novel.

SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel „Catch Us if You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, there is one decision in the novel that I disagree with. It is the one taken by the government to separate both Rory and his grandfather.

Rory and Granda are very close and each depends on the other for love and comfort. They are family, a “double act” and one cannot survive without the other. When Granda accidently starts a fire in the flat, the State makes a decision to put him in a home because he may endanger himself and others. I was so mad with the State.

I can understand that the State has the interest of Rory and Granda at heart when it makes this decision. But, what makes me disagree is that it regards them as only a “case” on which it needs to act, not as people with feelings. It is because each citizen has a right to run his or her life the way he or she wants to without outside interference. Unfortunately, it did not happen that way.

In addition, no discussion has been held with Rory and Granda how best to solve the problem. When the two run away, however, the police go after them as if they are criminals. As a person interviewed on a television rightly said, the police are wasting their time hunting down an old man and a young boy instead of chasing criminals and fighting the gun culture. The way the State tackled the situation pissed me off.

As a conclusion, people should be treated with greater respect and compassion and not like “cases” to be solved.

A Close Relationship

Novel, Catch Us If You Can - A Close Relationship

Using details from the novel you have studied,
•  describe a close relationship between two characters
•  explain why you would consider them to be very close.

Support your answer with close reference to the text.

SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, Rory McIntosh and his grandfather share an inseparable bond.

According to Rory, they are “like a double act”. His father abandoned his mother and him, so when his mother died, he was taken care of by his grandparents. The death of his grandmother had left him with his grandfather. He called him „Granda‟ and Granda had looked after him all his life and now it was his turn to look after Granda. However both of them were incapable of looking after themselves because Granda was too old and sick while his grandson was too young to shoulder the responsibility of looking after himself and his forgetful and sometimes disorientated grandfather. Whatever the difficulties, Rory and Granda refused to be separated. Rory argued that sending Granda to a home would kill his grandfather and forcing him to stay in a children‟s home would be unbearable. That showed how close they were and how emotionally dependent they were on each other.

Rory loved Granda so much that he was prepared to make a lot of sacrifices for the old man. He let go the chance to be in the school football team because he needed to look after Granda. He had to run home from school during lunch break to bring Granda lunch. On several occasions, Granda had unwittingly „lost‟ or „misplaced‟ Rory‟s homework and that had earned him the wrath of his teacher, Mrs Foley. Besides all these, he had to think of the little precautions to take to keep Granda out of harm. Still, he did not want to part with his Granda who would have been better off in an old folks‟ home. Granda felt the same also. The bond between the two was a special one. However, events took a decisive turn when Granda accidentally caused a fire in the kitchen of their flat. Granda was taken to hospital and then to Rachnadar, a home for the elderly. Rory ended up in Castle Street where he met the troubled Tess and fought with her.

He was miserable there. Granda fared no better at the home. Rory felt that they had been cheated by his social worker, Val Jessup. He plotted on the run while the police launched a hunt for them. The news of the runway pair was everywhere on television but they managed to evade the police with the help from sympathizers along the way. They suffered a lot of discomfort while on the run and the old man‟s condition worsened but they seemed happy. Being together has become a source of strength to them. They were finally persuaded to go and see Rory‟s long-lost father, Jeff McIntosh, who had been traced to Liverpool as a result of the publicity. But before they could do this, Jeff came for them. They ended up together again, and this time in a flat near where Jeff and his new family lived. Jeff was finally ready to assume responsibility for his father and his son.

Rory and Granda were inseparable. It looked as if only death could separate them. Nothing mattered as long as they were together.

Some Characters Solve Their Problems but Some Do Not

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – Some Characters Solve Their Problems but Some Do Not

The characters in novels often face problems. Some solve their problems but some do not. Using information from the novel you have studied, show how
• one character solves his/ her problems
• one who does not solve his/ her problems
Support your answer with close reference to the text.

SAMPLE ANSWER

It is true that characters in novels often face problems. Some manage to solve their problems but some do not.

In Catherine MacPhail‟s „Catch Us If You Can‟, a character who manages to solve his problem is Rory. His apartment is burnt down due to Granda‟s carelessness. He is then forced to part with his Granda. He is sent to stay at the children‟s home in Castle Street, and Granda is sent to the old folks‟ home in Rachnadar. Being very close to Granda, Rory can see that Granda is miserable at the home. Rory can sense that Granda has lost interest in everything and it breaks Rory‟s heart to see Granda like that.

So, Rory comes up with a plan to run away with Granda. He knows, by doing so, he can always be together with Granda. As long as they are on the run, they will be together. It can only be for a few days or a couple of weeks, but to Rory and Granda, their time together is precious.

On the other hand, Tess, a girl whom Rory meets at the children‟s home, fails to solve her problems. She has a sad life. Her mother is in prison and all her relatives reject her. Being homeless and unwanted, she is sent to Castle Street. Instead of making the best of her life there, she worsens it by becoming a bitter, angry and violent person.

Her violent outbursts become so bad that she loses control of herself and her actions. She injures others, making them keep away from her. She fails to make friends and so, remains lonely and friendless. She cannot overcome her loneliness and sense of rejection. If she had chosen to be more positive, she would probably have made some friends who can help her instead of feeling rejected and unloved.

A Decision Made

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – A Decision Made

Using the details of the novel you have studied.
•  describe a decision made by any one character in the novel
•  do you think the decision was a wise one?
Support your answer with evidence from the novel.

SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel „Catch Us If You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, I would choose the decision made by Rory, when he decided to get Granda out of Rachnadar and run away.

After the death of his mother, Rory lived with his grandparents. When his grandmother died, his grandfather, whom he called Granda, looked after him. Rory and Granda were very close to each other that they had become inseparable. When Granda became sick and his memory began to fail, it was Rory‟s turn to look after Granda. One day, Granda accidentally set fire to their flat. This brought the authorities to step in. Finding Granda and Rory incapable of taking care of each other, they sent Granda to an old folks‟ home, while Rory was sent to a children‟s home in Castle Street. The authorities had no choice but to do this for the safety of both Granda and Rory. Granda might pose a danger not only to himself and Rory but to those around him.

Rory felt he was wrongly torn away from his Granda. Furthermore, Rory knew that Granda hated being in Rachnadar, the old folks‟ home, and Rory himself hated it in Castle Street. So he made the decision to run away with Granda so they could be together.

I can understand Rory‟s position but I do not see it as a wise decision. In the first place, he was too young to make a huge decision like this. At his age, he should have thought about school. He should realize that he was incapable of taking care of his old and sick 

grandfather. Granda was too old and frail to go on such a challenging and demanding journey. Moreover, Granda needed his pills to sustain him. Besides, Rory did not know where he was going to. Where could they go when they had no place and no one to care for them? Rory, too, asked himself the question whether it was a wise decision. People may say that those who love each other must stay together but this is based only on emotion. I think Rory made the decision because he had no one else in his life. It was not only because he loved Granda so much, but also because he did not know how to live without his Granda because all this while, Granda was always there for him.

To make decisions, we must be objective. We must think rationally. Seeing the unpredictability of things and the health condition of Granda, and Rory‟s immaturity, I strongly feel that Rory made an unwise decision in running away.

The Moral Value That Has Impressed You The Most

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – The Moral Value That Has Impressed You The Most

Using the details of the novel you have studied,
•  Write about the moral value that has impressed you the most.

•  Give evidence from the text to support your answer.

SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel „Catch Us if You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, I learn about compassion for fellow human beings. Many characters exhibit compassion for each other and act in a kind manner because of their compassionate nature.

Rory and Granda care for each other and there is compassion in their actions. For example, Rory cares for his grandfather‟s well-being. For instance, he makes sure his Granda takes his medicine. Moreover, he always rushes home from school to ensure Granda takes his lunch. Moreover, Rory protects his Granda from anything he considers bad, offensive or dangerous. Rory even keeps Granda‟s pipe to make sure there isn‟t any untoward incidents. Granda tries his best to help Rory and unfortunately makes mistakes, but there is still compassion. He strongly says that no grandson of his is going to a home for as long as he is around.

In addition, Dr Nicol insists that Granda and Rory get a home help. This is because he believes that Granda and Rory are not capable of taking care of each other. Val Jessup, the social worker, also shows compassion. She shows enthusiasm to help Rory and Granda. When they are on the run, Val Jessup pleads on television for Rory and Granda to come home. The police and the nurse also act compassionately towards Granda and Rory. They are affected by the dilemma of an ageing man who is so dependent on a young boy and therefore do what they think is the best.

Besides, Darren, Rory‟s close friend offers his mum‟s caravan to them because he cares for Rory and Granda. He warns them about the arrival of the police.

With all the above, I believe that we must be compassionate to people. This quality keeps us humane and make the world appear kinder and the troubles bearable.

An Important Incident

Novel, The Curse – An Important Incident

Based on the novel you have learned, write about an important incident that you remember. Give reasons why you remember the incident.

I choose The Curse by Lee Su Ann. In my opinion, an important incident from the novel is when Azreen first met the Old Lady.

Azreen first met the Old Lady when she was challenged by her friends to go to the Old Lady ’s house. The villagers believed that the Old Lady is an evil witch, so they forbade their children to go to the Old Lady ’s house. However, Azreen’s curiosity and bravery led her to the Old Lady ’s house. As she called out for the Old Lady, her friends scampered and some even looked very scared. When she met the Old Lady and the Old Lady asked her to go away, she did not think the Old Lady was evil. After that day, Azreen kept going to the house until the Old Lady became friendly with her.

In my opinion, this incident is important because after the day they became friends, the Old Lady became the person Azreen talked to or turned to whenever she had problems. For instance, Azreen would go to her house whenever she got into fights with her father. The Old Lady would listen to her problems and calm her.

Apart from that, this incident is important because from the Old Lady, Azreen had learnt to forgive the people who had done her wrong. For instance, Azreen had forgiven her father for

murdering her sister, Madhuri after understanding the reason of her father’s action. If Azreen

had not met and befriended the Old Lady, she might not have forgiven the people who had done her wrong. As a result, she might not go back to London feeling free and feeling like a new person.

In conclusion, the important incident is when Azreen first met the Old Lady because of the above reasons. 

The Character That You Like

Choose one character that you like in novel 'Step By Wicked Step' and give your reasons why you like the character.

Answer :

     From the novel 'Step By Wicked Step' by Anne Fine, I like Claudia from the story the Green Pyjamas. I like Claudia because she is kind, loyal and she can be very mature and wise.

     Claudia is a very kind girl.  During her father's birthday party, Claudia wears her green pyjamas given by her father's girlfriend, Stella. She decides to do this because she feels that the guests in the party are very rude when they refuse to talk to Stella. They act like Stella is invisible and Claudia feels angry because Stella is actually a very nice person.

     Other than that, Claudia is also a loyal daughter to her mother.She knows that her mother hates the fact that her father is happy with a new woman in his life so she pretends that she is unhappy when she has to go to her father's house. Claudia also refuses to accept Stella's kindness because she wants to show that she is loyal to her mother.

     Lastly, Claudia shows that she is very mature and wise. Claudia feels that the guests for her father's birthday party are very rude. They do not want to acknowledge that Stella is her father's new love by giving her a cold shoulder during the party. Claudia is very angry with all those immature adults so she decides to give all of them a lesson by wearing her new green pyjamas and showing it off in front of the guess, hinting that Stella and her are very close. The guests are ashamed so they start to treat Stella nicely after the incident.

     From these three reasons, I choose Claudia as the character I like the most. Claudia shows that she is a good daughter to both her mother and father and she is also kind enough to accept Stella as her future step mother.

Event That Has Affected The Main Character

Novel, The Curse – Event That Has Affected The Main Character

Based on the novel you have learned,

·         Which event has affected the main character

·         How is the main character affected by the event mentioned

·         Support your answer with evidence from the text

I choose The Curse by Lee Su Ann. In my opinion, the event that has affected the main character from the novel is when Azreen first met the Old Lady.

Azreen first met the Old Lady when she was challenged by her friends to go to the Old Lady’s house. The villagers believed that the Old Lady is an evil witch, so they forbade their children to go to the Old Lady’s house. However, Azreen’s curiosity and bravery led her to the Old Lady’s house. As she called out for the Old Lady, her friends scampered and some even looked very scared. When she met the Old Lady and the Old Lady asked her to go away, she did not think the Old Lady was evil. After that day, Azreen kept going to the house until the Old Lady became friendly with her.

In my opinion, this event has affected the main character because after the day they became friends, the Old Lady became the person Azreen talked to or turned to whenever she had problems. For instance, Azreen would go to her house whenever she got into fights with her father. The Old Lady would listen to her problems and calm her.

Apart from that, this event has affected the main character  because from the Old Lady, Azreen had learnt to forgive the people who had done her wrong. For instance, Azreen had forgiven her father for murdering her sister, Madhuri after understanding the reason of her father’s action. If Azreen had not met and befriended the Old Lady, she might not have forgiven the people who had done her wrong. As a result, she might not go back to London feeling free and feeling like a new person.

In conclusion, the event that has affected the main character is when Azreen first met the Old Lady because of the above reasons.

Faith In The God Is Essential

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – Faith In The God Is Essential

“Faith in the God is essential”.
Using the evidence from the novel, explain how this is shown in the novel you have studied. Support your answer with close reference to the text.

SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel „Catch Us if You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, “Faith in God is Essential” is one of the messages in the story.

Rory‟s prayers are in the form of warm and friendly conversations with God, which he addresses as „The Big Man‟. Rory is a character who has faith in God. Rory promises to be good and do good things if „The Big Man‟ would make Granda wake up when he sees his grandfather‟s face pale, his mouth open and he is hardly breathing. In addition, Rory believes that „The Big Man‟ wanted him to escape as things go smoothly. Rory promises to collect money for the Salvation Army if „The Big Man‟ keeps Granda safe. Rory tells „The Big Man‟ that they both are having great time and Granda is no trouble at all.

The other evidence that resembles Rory as a person who has faith in God is when he and his grandfather did not crash since Granda cannot drive well. Due to that, he believes that „The Big Man‟ is looking after him.

As a conclusion, prayers play a vital role in keeping Rory‟s spirit up and prove that faith is essential in life.

A Difficult Situation

Novel, Step By Wicked Step - A Difficult Situation

Write about
(a)   a difficult situation faced by one of the characters
(b)   how the character managed to resolve the problems in that situation


     Based on the Form 5 novel 'Step by Wicked Step' by Anne Fine, a character that faced a difficult situation is Claudia from the story 'Green Pyjamas'.

     Claudia's difficult situation stemmed from the dissolution of her parents' marriage. Her father then moved out to live with his mother and later, he got a new girlfriend named Stella. Although Claudia knew very well that Stella did not play a part in her parents' divorce, she could not help feeling a sense of loyalty and faithfulness towards her mother. Hence, she rejected all of Stella's warm advances and ignored Stella. She also pretended to hate all the time she spent at her father's place although she knew that her actions would hurt Stella's feelings.

     At a dinner party hosted by her father and Stella, Claudia rudely rejected Stella's invitation for her to join them. However, fueled by her curiosity, she sneaked down and eavesdropped on the guests. To her surprise, she noticed that her father's friends were all ignoring Stella - probably out of loyalty to Claudia's mother whom they had been friends with too. From an outsider's point of view, Claudia realized how unfair they had all been to Stella. All the guests left Stella out of their conversations, leaving her in an awkward state of silence. They did not even seem to appreciate the food that Stella laboured over.

     At that very moment, Claudia decided to resolve the problem that had been plaguing her. She decided to make things right. She changed into the pair of green pyjamas Stella got her, and ran down surprising both Stella and her father's friends. Claudia then exclaimed how much she loved the pyjamas - a simple act but with profound impact - and instantly, her fathers' friends began to warm towards Stella. From that day onwards, Stella and Claudia maintained a warm relationship.

     In a nutshell, Claudia faced a difficult situation in feeling torn between both her parents. In a divorce, it is often hard for a child to accept that his or her parents are not a single entity any longer. However, in the end, Claudia resolved the problem by doing what was right. She understood that it was very mean and unfair to treat someone badly for something that was not their fault. It is something that all of us should take note of in our lives. Our actions might seem minute but the consequences could mean the world to someone else.

The Character That You Dislike

Based on the novel ‘The Curse’ you have read, write about a character that you dislike. Support your answer with information from the novel.

In ‘The Curse’ by Lee Su Ann, the character I dislike is Normala, the village gossiper.

Everyone dislikes her for spreading stories. She is called the ‘slimy cobra with a three-forked tongue’ by Siti and the ‘snake of a woman’ by Asraf. Normala happily spreads stories about Madhuri and claims that she was murdered. Normala is seen as wicked and mean by the villagers. Normala claims that she saw the body of Madhuri and that she saw white blood on her. She tells people about the bad relationship between the two sisters and adds fuel to the burning gossipy issues of the village. All these gossipy tidbits added spice and sauce to the stories that were circulating in the village.

Normala is superstitious and easily frightened by all that she sees and hears. She strongly believes that the village is cursed and that they all will suffer. At the funeral, Normala takes great pains to inform the women folk of all the goings-on in the village. Normala has a group of women hanging on to her every word and absolutely enjoys being the center of attention.

People like Normala can be irresponsible and harmful for they can be malicious with their gossipy words.

Moral Values

Novel, Step By Wicked Step - Moral Values

Moral values are found in every poem, story or novel. Moral values are values that may be rightor wrong or lessons about life that one can learn. In this novel, Step By Wicked Step, there aremany moral values. Each moral value must be supported by evidence from the text.Below are some examples of moral values:

1.  Appreciate family relationships and try to get along with family members.

2.  Think carefully before one makes a decision.

3.  Being Responsible.

4.  Coping With Change/Adapting To A New Situation

1.  Appreciate family relationships and try to get along with family members. (Pixie’sStory & Claudia’s Story)

•  There must be love in a family. Love brings all the members of the family together.

•  Family relationships break down if there is a lack of understanding.

•  Family member must work together and support each other.

•  Family members must be tolerant towards each other. They must learn to give and take.

•  Family members must be caring towards each other.

•  Family members must be honest and truthful to each other.

•  Family members must appreciate each other.

•  Family members should protect each other

2.  Think Carefully Before Making A Decision. (Richard’s Story)

•  We have to make many decisions in life.

•  When we make any decisions, we must consider others as well.

•  Every decision we make has a consequence (effect) on us or someone else.

•  Sometimes we make right decisions and sometimes we make wrong decisions.

•  The right decisions will bring good results (beneficial) whereas the wrong decisions canbring harm.

•  Right decisions bring positive changes and wrong decisions bring about negativeconsequences.

•  Negative consequences from a wrong decision cannot be reversed. 

3.  Being Responsible (Claudia’s Story & Pixie’s Story)

•  Parents should be responsible for their children.

•  Children should be responsible towards their parents and siblings (brothers and sisters).

•  We have to be responsible for any decisions we make.

•  We have to be responsible for the consequences of the decision that we make.

4.  Coping With Change/Adapting To A New Situation (Pixie’s Story & Claudia’s Story)

•  Change happens all the time.

•  Change disrupts normal routine.

•  Change can cause problems.

•  Adapting to change is better than resisting.

•  We can change things for the better but this requires patience and effort.

The Most Interesting Event

Novel, The Curse – The Most Interesting Event

Based on the novel you have learned, which event is the most interesting event for you . Give reasons for your answer.

I choose The Curse by Lee Su Ann. In my opinion, the most interesting event from the novel is when Azreen first met the Old Lady.

Azreen first met the Old Lady when she was challenged by her friends to go to the Old Lady’s house. The villagers believed that the Old Lady is an evil witch, so they forbade their children to go to the Old Lady ’s house. However, Azreen’s curiosity and bravery led her to the Old Lady’s house. As she called out for the Old Lady, her friends scampered and some even looked very scared. When she met the Old Lady and the Old Lady asked her to go away, she did not think the Old Lady was evil. After that day, Azreen kept going to the house until the Old Lady became friendly with her.

In my opinion, this event is most interesting because after the day they became friends, the Old Lady became the person Azreen talked to or turned to whenever she had problems. For instance, Azreen would go to her house whenever she got into fights with her father. The Old Lady would listen to her problems and calm her.

Apart from that, this event is the most interesting because from the Old Lady, Azreen had learnt to forgive the people who had done her wrong. For instance, Azreen had forgiven her father for murdering her sister, Madhuri after understanding the reason of her father’s action. If Azreen had not met and befriended the Old Lady, she might not have forgiven the people who had done her wrong. As a result, she might not go back to London feeling free and feeling like a new person.

In conclusion, the most interesting event is when Azreen first met the Old Lady because of the above reasons. 

Plot of The Story

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – Plot of The Story

From the novel you have studied, write about the plot of the story and state what you think of the plot.
Support your answer with close reference to the text.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Catherine MacPhail‟s novel „Catch Us If You Can‟ revolves around a teenager, Rory, and his grandfather whom he calls Granda. Rory and Granda are on an escape adventure from their hometown to Liverpool because they do not want to be separated from each other. They have cared for and looked after each other for a long time and with Granda getting on in years and becoming forgetful, Rory takes over the responsibility of looking after Granda on his own initiatives.

One day, when their flat caught fire due to Granda‟s carelessness, both Rory and Granda are placed in a children‟s home and an old folks‟ home respectively. Granda is badly affected as he becomes withdrawn and lost. Rory knows that Granda is slowly dying in Rachnadar, so he decides to run away with Granda. Rory and Granda make the great escape but with no destination in mind. They only want to be free and to be together. They spend a few happy carefree days at the caravan site. When the police catch up with them, Rory and Granda are helped by Sammy who gives them shelter.

Their journey is a struggle to stay free. Strangers help them all the way, giving them shelter and making safe plans for them. Rory has doubts about whether he is doing the right thing. All doubts are dispelled as Granda looks happy even when he is exhausted.

Eventually, Rory decides they would travel south to Liverpool and look for his father, Jeff McIntosh. Granda objects and rages about this when he realizes what Rory‟s plans are. The climax of the story is when Granda almost loses his life in the cold bus shelter. After that, they end up in Liverpool. It is a happy ending as they meet up with Jeff and become a family again. The plot runs in chronological order. The reader can follow Rory and Granda‟s interesting and sometimes heartbreaking journey from their hometown to their final destination. Rory as the narrator projects a solid account of their thoughts, feelings and gives good descriptions of the setting. The approach makes it easy for the reader to understand and appreciate the story. I think the plot is simple and relevant to our society where young people tend to forget their obligations to the old.

Most Important Lesson You Have Learnt

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – Most Important Lesson You Have Learnt

From the novel you have studied, what is the most important lesson you have learnt? Support your answer with close reference to the text.

SAMPLE ANSWER

From the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, an important lesson I learnt is to be persistent and determined when facing challenges.

Often, persistence leads to better results than losing hope easily. Two characters in the novel, Rory and Granda, handled challenges with determination. Rory knew that he must be strong and determined in order to withstand the rigours of the escape. There was never a time he felt like giving up and turning in to the police. It was the strong sense of perseverance that helped him bear all the hardships. It was the same with Granda. When things got difficult, he was even more persevering even though it was hard for a man his age to be on the run. He knew he needed to be strong so that he could be together with Rory.

The escape got very arduous and tough at times. The police were always after Rory and Granda. There was a wide TV coverage on them. But Rory and Granda were determined to pull through. They knew they would be together and not be separated as long as they continued to run. From the way they went through their escape, I learn that challenges should be dealt with determination. One must not easily give up hope and accept defeat. As long as one has the chance, one must keep on going till success is met.

Love, Compassion and Family Relationship Are Important in One’s Life

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – Love, Compassion and Family Relationship Are Important in One’s Life

“Love, compassion and family relationship are important in one‟s life.”
Using the evidence from the text, explain how this is true. Support your answer with close reference from the text.

SAMPLE ANSWER

Catherine MacPhail put the elements of love, compassion and family relationship in her novel, „Catch Us if You Can‟. From the beginning to the end of the story, those three elements hold the story together.

The love between generations shows that love is continuous and never ending. For example, Rory‟s love for his Granda is unconditional and vice versa. He is ready to sacrifice anything so that he remains united with his grandfather. The grandfather, in turn, has devoted his life to bring up the child from birth and his whole life revolves around him.

Love in a family and the power of love among family members are also portrayed in this story. For example, Sammy, his wife, Ruby and son Tyrone portray a warm and loving family. Besides that, Bernie, his wife and daughter are equally warm-hearted and helpful. Rab and Annie are loving and caring too.

Love and respect among Rory‟s friends also keep him from troubles. They look upon Granda with great affection. Darren, the one who is the weakest in the class, shows much compassion for Rory and helps him as much as he can. Mrs. Foley also shows sincere, love and care for Rory. She shows her concern towards Rory when Granda is admitted into the hospital. She realizes that Rory should not be in the children‟s home.

As a conclusion, the concept of the elements of love, compassion and family relationship bring beauty to the story.

An Important Moral Value You Have Learnt

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – An Important Moral Value You Have Learnt

From the novel you have studied, write about an important moral value you have learnt. Support your answer with close reference to the text.

SAMPLE ANSWER

From the novel „Catch Us If You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, an important moral value I have learnt is that family relationships should be nurtured and not taken for granted. Granda looked after Rory after Rory‟s father walked out on them. Since Granda was old and forgetful, Rory took it upon himself to look after Granda. Nobody forced or told him to do it but Rory felt it was the right thing to do. He was willing to forego things that teenage boys should be doing. He did all the household chores, made sure Granda took his medication and had his meals. He even kept Granda‟s pipe to make sure there wasn‟t any untoward incidents. Granda and Rory did not take their relationship for granted. Granda, on several occasions, had expressed appreciation to Rory for always being there for him while Rory felt proud to have Granda as his grandfather. Rory was protective and defensive of Granda. They nurtured their relationship right up to the end even when they had a family, Jeff and Karen.

Sammy, Ruby and Tyrone also showed a strong family relationship. Sammy and Ruby were free and easy but respectful with each other. Ruby would tease Sammy and vice versa. But, when it came to making decisions, Ruby left it to Sammy, showing him respect as the head of the family. Tyrone was respectful and obedient to his parents, Sammy and Ruby.

All in all, I have learnt from the novel that family relationship should be nurtured and not taken for granted as family happiness and stability depend on this positive attitude.

Theme of Happiness

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – Theme of Happiness

Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the theme of happiness. Use evidence from the text to support your answer.

SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel „Catch Us If You Can‟, Rory McIntosh has been living with his grandfather since he was a young boy. On the surface, this arrangement such as theirs cannot be a happy one because Granda is old and sick while he is too young to be able to look after himself, let alone his forgetful and sometimes disorientated grandfather. Granda would have been better off at Rachnadar, a home for the aged where his needs will be taken care of by professionals and Rory would have been able to lead a more normal life at Castle Street Children‟s Home. But they refuse to be separated. Despite the difficulties, they are happy together. In their own obstinate way, they are guarding their right to be together and be happy.

However, when Granda causes a fire in their flat, the social worker assigned to them takes Granda to Rachnadar while Rory goes to the Castle Street home. Rory is upset and so is Granda. Rory believes the home is killing his Granda. Then, Rory decides to run away from the home, „rescue‟ his Granda from Rachnadar and they would run away from all these meddling people. They are on the run for several weeks and the television is full of news about them. A massive search is launched for them. Ironically, while on the run, they experience some of the happiest moments of their lives, with the help of sympathizers like Darren, his best friend who steals his mother‟s caravan key to let them hide temporarily, Sammy and Ruby who shelter them when the police close in on them. Then, there are the sympathetic petrol station operator, Rab and his girlfriend, Annie. Their run comes to an end when Granda becomes ill and causes concern to Norma, Annie‟s cousin who is helping them to get to Liverpool to find Rory‟s father. She calls the police. All‟s well that ends well when McIntosh‟s long-lost son, Jeff, who is also Rory‟s father comes for them. He is ready to assume his responsibility as a son and father.

Rory and Granda are basically searching for happiness whether as a stubborn pair fiercely defending their rights to stay together in the flat in the face of insurmountable problems or whether as runaways, oblivious to the frenzy they are causing through their actions. They sincerely believe that they are looking for happiness. After all, nothing matters as long as they are happy because life is a quest for happiness.

An Incident That Changes The Life of A Character

Novel, Catch Us If You Can – An Incident That Changes The Life of A Character

Based on the novel that you have read, write about an incident that changes the life of a character in the story. Give evidence from the novel that you have studied.

SAMPLE ANSWER

In the novel „Catch Us if You Can‟ by Catherine MacPhail, an incident that changes the life of the character is the great escape that Rory and Granda undertake. Rory decided to run away from the town he lived in after taking his Granda out of the local old folks‟ home. The escape took them to many places and they met many different people who helped them on their journey. Rory learnt valuable life lessons from meeting all the different people. From the travelers, he learnt about compassion and kindness. From Rab, Annie and Norma, he learnt about people who offered help sincerely and treated them kindly. Also, Rory‟s life would never be the same again. It was because, his father turned up to help him and Granda. Finally he had a father, a stepmother and two adorable stepsisters. He had a family and that was a life-changing moment from him.

Rory was worried about his Granda earlier but then he didn‟t have to. It was because things started to fall into places for him. Certain services provided for the elderly made life better for him and Granda. The escape exposed some of the problems that the elderly and their caretakers faced in the course of their daily life.

With all the above, I believe that all those changes would not have taken place if not for the great escape.