How is the theme love shown in the novel you have read?

I have read the novel ‘Catch Us If You Can’ written by CatherineMacPhail. It is an interesting novel. One of the main messages the author highlights is that love is important in a family and we should be willing to forgive our family for their wrongdoings.

Firstly, love between a grandparent and a grandchild. Granda loves Rory. To him, Rory is his son. Rory and Granda share an amazing family love for each other, Their love is deep and pure. Granda has been taking care of Rory ever since Rory’s mother passed away and his father walked out of their life. Granda sees to the needs of Rory in schooling and goes to see the class teacher whenever being called such as Parents’ Night. Rory also loves his grandfather. Rory will do anything to care for Granda and make him happy. He readily sacrifices his love for football and to be on the school football team so that he has time to care for Granda. Their love surpasses most level people are capable of family love. This is because of the unique situation the boy and his grandfather are in. Because of this love, they are willing to run away in order not to be separated. They shun the safety of the children’s home (Castle Street) and old folks home (Rachnadar).

Next, love between friends. Here Rory loves and is loved by his friends such as Tyrone and Darren. Darren gives the key of his mom’s caravan to Rory in the Great Escape. Tyrone along with his parents, Ruby and Sammy, help Granda and Rory in their journey because he could empathise with Rory and his Granda. These people believe that Rory and his grandfather are doing the right thing to stay together and they do not expect to be paid for helping Rory and Granda.

Then, Tyrone’s family too portrays family love. They are a loving and close-knit family. Sammy is the head of the family and a good provider. Ruby sees to the family’s everyday needs. Tyrone tells Rory that he will never part from his parents. It is his fear too that one day he will be taken away from them by the authorities. Like Rory, he will never allow this to happen.

Lastly, we also see the love shown by the public . Their journey is a struggle to stay free. Strangers help them all the way, giving them shelter and making safe plans for them. Rab, the petrol station owner, gives shelter to the runaways knowing that they are in trouble. He and his girlfriend, Annie helps Granda and Rory cross the Borders to enter England and seeks Annie’s cousin’s help. Norma and her daughter, Nicola, allow Rory and Granda to stay overnight at their house in Lake District.

As a conclusion, the theme love is shown between the main character, Rory and the people surrounding him that is his grandfather, his best friend and new friends like Tyrone and his family, and strangers like Rab and friends. It is true that ‘love does not count’ and ‘a friend in need is a friend indeed’. In my opinion, family relationships should be nurtured and not taken for granted as family happiness and stability depend on this positive attitude.

Catch Us If U Can theme : courage in handling one’s challenges

The novel highlights the theme of courage in handling one’s challenges. The characters that show courage are Rory, granda and people who help them in their escape.

Rory handle challenges with courage. No fear will ever deter him from running away from the authorities. he has to risk the danger s of being caught as well as other obstacle that come his way. There are many instances when he pursues his desire to be with granda relentlessly and courageously.

Of course, there are time he fear being sent to jail he see that they have become criminal. This is after granda hits the boy from the train with the bottle but this fear does not deter him from continuing the Great Escape. When granda feels wake up on top of the hill after running away nomad house, he bravely goes to look for help. He knocks on strangers door ang begs for help. He is indeed a courageous boy.

Granda shows courage when he steal a car ad drive it away. He show a side of him. Rory have not seen it for a long while. It is the lively and brave granda. People who meet them and help them too show courage for they know they are on the otehr side of the law. Yet, it does not stop them from doing it.

Catch Us If U Can moral value : kindness

The world is full of kind people. Granda says this after total strangers help him and Rory without any condition. The moral value of kindness is highlighted in the novel.

Even Rory’s teacher, Mrs Foley is concerned to Rory. She feels bad looking after granda is too much for the boy. When Rory tell her about Castle Street, she even thinks of fostering Rory out of kindness of her heart.

Strangers like Tyrone’s family show kindness to Rory and granda who are in need of help. It does not matter to them that they do not know these two people at all. All they know is that the two people are fugitive who need help to run away from the authorities so that they can be together.

Ruby helps tha pair out of kindness. That is why she later refuses Rory’s money. She says she wanted to help him because he needs it and not for money.

Samy and Annie offer to drive Rory and granda to train station. This is a kind gesture to people they have just met. They suggest that Rory and granda escape by train to Glasgow. Due to their kindness, granda says he will never call them tickles again.

Catch Us If U Can moral value : responsibility

The novel highlights the moral value of responsibility. In doing so, it stresses that one has to assume responsibility in what one does. Otherwise, there will be unhappy results.

This moral value is portrayed by some characters. One such character is Rory. Feeling that it is his responsibility to look after his granda, he tries his best to carry out his duties eventhough there are too much for a young boy. Granda also comes out his responsibilities toward Rory after his son walked out on them. Granda treats Rory as his only son after Rory’s father abandons them.

As for the others, they help Rory and granda for they feel it is their responsibility to do so. Dr Nicol feels it is his responsibility to recommend a social worker for granda. So he sends Val Jessup. Val Jessup decides to sends granda to Rachnadar for she feel it is a responsibility.

Darren’s mother feesl it is her responsibility to inform the police about the fugitives hiding in her caravan. Tyrone’s family help the fugitives for they believe it is their responsibility to help people in need. Even

when Norma informs the police about Rory’s and Granda’s whereabout. She does so out of a sense of responsibility towards the boy and the old man.

Catch Us If U Can theme : friendship

The novel highlights the theme of friendship which is portrayed throughout the novel.

Friendship get things going. Darren is Rory’s best friend. He risks his mother’s anger by lending Rory the caravan to hide him. When his mother informs the police, he immediately sends Rory a text to warn him.

At Castle Street, Rory makes new friends with residents. They are Tony, Tom, Jackie, and Georgie. They help him to settle down at the home.

One of the benefits of Rory’s and granda’s escape, he’s making new friends. These new friends help them to be together. A strong friendship and bond is established between them.

Tyrone’s family members become new friends of Rory and Granda. Rory finds new friends in people about his age. They are Tyrone and his cousin, Zara. Not only have these people help them in their escape, new friendship is formed.

Rab and Annie also become their new friends. When Rab and Annie are about to married, they even invite Rory and granda to the wedding.

The novel that I have learnt in Form Five is 'Catch Us If You Can' by Catherine MacPhail. The characters in the novel have clearly shown the importance of love in a family and they have demonstrated that love can overcome the challenges in life. This is clearly shown by Rory and his grandfather, Granda.

The love and commitment between Rory and Granda is truly remarkable and heart-warming. Both of them want to keep the family unit intact no matter how great the obstacles can be. That determinatin leads to an adventure which is both funny and heart-wrenching at the same time.

Rory is very loyal to his Granda. As a devoted grandson, Rory ensures Granda takes his medicine on time, does not miss his meal and makes certain his basic hygiene is taken care of. Rory even gives up the school football team so he can spend more time with Granda. There are times where Rory even has to coach Granda to behave in public. Consequently, Granda loves Rory dearly and refuses to be parted from him even if it means he has to be away from medical help.

Rory makes careful plans to escape when he realises that he is to be separated from Granda. Granda agrees to Rory's escape plans and they are prepared to run away to be together. They are indeed lucky enough as along the way, kind people who believe in the importance of love in a family help them continue their journey together. In the end, after all the hardships and challenges they face, Rory and Granda manage to stay together.

In a nutshell, Rory and Granda have shown the importance of true love in a family and they are successful in facing all obstacles along their journey because of love towards each other.

Based on the novel you have read, write about the most important lesson you have learnt from the novel. Give evidence from the text.

Based on the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, the most important lesson is to be persistent when facing challenges. Often, persistence achieves better results than losing hope easily. The characters that show persistence are Rory and Granda.

Rory knows that he must be strong and persistent in order to withstand the rigours of the escape. There is never a time he feels like giving up and turning in to the police. It is this strong sense of perseverance that helps him bear all the hardships.

It is the same with Granda. When things get difficult, he is even more persevering even though being on the run is hard for an old man like him. He knows he needs to be strong so that they can be together.

The escape gets very arduous and tough at times. The police are always after Rory and Granda. There is wide television coverage on them. But Rory and Granda are determined to pull through. They know they will not be separated as long as they continue to run.

From the way they go through their escape, I learnt that challenges should be dealt with persistent. One must not give up hope and accept defeat. As long as one has the chance, one must keep on going till success is met.

Using details from the novel you have studied, describe the setting , explain why you find the setting suitable for the novel. Support your answer with close reference to the text.

Based on the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, the story tells of Rory and Granda’s escape adventure from their hometown (Scotland) until they reach Liverpool. They have been living together looking after each other and are not prepared to be separated. When they are placed in separate homes, that is, Rory is sent to Castle Street while Granda is sent to Rachnadar, they make their escape in order to be together.

The story is set in the present time in a small town in Scotland. Rory and Granda live in a flat and Rory attend a nearby school. From here, they make their escape along country roads to a caravan site and then through small quiet towns like Forfar, the Dundee Train Station and Perth Train Station. They travel towards Lake District and finally end up in Liverpool. Along the way they are helped by strangers who take them along in their caravans. They travel by train and cars later on. The mood for the story changes from free and easy to suspense and fear and ends on a happy note.

I find the setting suitable for the mood. As it is an escape adventure, the country roads and small towns are most suitable to avoid being recognized. Rory and Granda are happy and carefree in their own flat doing what they feel they should, taking care of each other. When they are placed in the homes, the mood changes to one of sadness and despair especially when Granda is slowly dying inside while Rory is bullied by Tess. At the caravan site and in the other places, Granda recovers and becomes his happy, normal self although he is exhausted at times. They enjoy their freedom and being together. Along the way they are given shelter and help by strangers.

At the train station, there are some anxious moments when they are in danger of being recognized. The mood becomes light when Granda drives a car he hotwires, unsteadily along the roads. At the bus shelter in the cold night, Granda almost loses his life, the mood is full of anxiety and fear when Rory runs to get help. Then, they are taken to Liverpool and the story ends on a happy note. Rory and Granda are united with Jeff McIntosh, Rory’s father and his family.

Based on the evidences above, I find the setting suitable for the mood of the story.

Using details from the novel you have studied, write on the main theme you have studied, why you feel the theme that you have written on is the main theme . Support your answer with close reference to the text.

Based on the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, the story tells of Rory and Granda’s escape adventure from their hometown to Liverpool. They have been living together looking after each other and are not prepared to be separated. When they are placed in separate homes, they make their escape in order to be together.

The main theme in the story is family relationships. Rory and Grand have a close relationship as Granda has looked after Rory since he was a baby. Now, as Granda is getting on in years, Rory feels it is his turn to look after Granda. Granda has a sour relationship with his son, Jeff because Jeff runs away from home. Granda does not understand Jeff’s feeling of inadequacy of being a father at a young age. This leads to their estrangement.

The family relationship in Sammy’s family is easy and carefree. Sammy and Ruby will tell each other off but one can sense the strength of their relationship. They have a good and loving relationship with their son, Tyrone. The relationship seems easy going but they treat each other with respect.

Sammy and his brother, Bernie also shows a strong family relationship. Sammy brings Rory and Granda to Forfar to meet Bernie to celebrate his daughter’s birthday. All have a good time in singing and playing music. There is enjoyable conversation and laughter. So their relationship is very close.

Based on the evidences above, the theme of family relationship runs throughout the story and this is why I feel it is the main theme.

Based on the novel you have read, write about the novel’s theme of handling one’s challenges with courage . Give evidence from the text.

Based on the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, the novel highlights the theme of handling one’s challenges with courage. Rory and Granda show courage in dealing with the problems they face in their daily life.

Granda has been looking after Rory and now that Granda is getting on in years and unwell. Rory takes over the responsibility of looking after Granda. This is a challenge for Rory as he is just a schoolboy. He has to have a schedule which is suitable for him to carry out his duties at home and be in school on time. He even has to forfeit playing football in school.

Another challenge Rory faces is to make sure nobody suspects that he and Granda are able to survive without outside help. He has to make sure that there will not be any untoward incident at home. On the Parent’s Night, Granda is forgetful and has left his pipe in his coat pocket which caused his coat to be on fire. This is something Rory has to make sure such a thing does not happen again.

Rory and Granda handle challenges when they are running away from the authorities. They have to risk the dangers of being caught or recognized by the people. They are helped by strangers along the way and they have to be careful about their motives.

Granda shows courage when he steals a car and drives it away. He shows a side of him Rory has not seen for a long while. It is the lively and brave Granda. Of course, there are times Rory fears of being sent to jail when he thinks that they have become criminals. This is after Granda hits the boy from the train with a bottle. But this fear does not deter him from continuing the Great Escape.

Even when Granda is very exhausted, he does not give up. He faces his adventures with strength and courage. When Granda fails to wake up on top of the hill, Rory bravely goes to look for help. He knocks on a stranger’s door and begs for help. The two of them face all the challenges with courage.

Based on the evidences above, the theme of handling one’s challenges with courage is clearly portrayed throughout the story as Rory and Granda go through hardships during their escape journey.

Based on the novel you have read, choose a character that you dislike . Give reasons for your choice with close reference to the text.

Based on the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, the character I dislike is Tess, a violent girl who lives in the children’s home at Castle Street.

I dislike her because of her violent deeds. She has violent bouts of anger and temper tantrums. Though she has a sad life, her mother is in prison and her relatives have all rejected her. Being homeless and unwanted, she is sent to Castle Street. But instead of making the best of her life there, she worsens it by becoming bitter, angry and violent.

Tess is her own worst enemy. Her anger and violence scare all the children. Unlike other children who are nice, she fails to make friends and so remains lonely and friendless. She cannot overcome her loneliness and sense of rejection.

Her violent outbursts become so bad that she loses control of herself and her actions. She injures others. Others keep away from her. Rory tries to keep his distance from her when he sits for breakfast. Once, she becomes very worse that causes Rory to lose his patience and shouts at her. She retaliates by punching Rory on the nose. They have a fight in the children’s home.

Therefore, I dislike Tess because of her violence. If she has chosen to have good behaviour, she would probably have made some friends who can help her instead of feeling rejected.

Based on the novel you have read, write about a character that you admire . Support your answer by citing examples from the text.

Based on the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, the character I admire the most is Rory McIntosh. I admire him because he is responsible, understanding and brave.

Rory takes on the responsibility of looking after Granda on his own initiative. He makes sure Granda has everything he requires before he leaves for school. Rory’s time is divided between going to school, running home to get lunch ready for Granda, reminding him to take his pills and so on. He even gives up playing football to make sure Granda has his meals and takes his medicine on time.

Rory also shows that he is understanding when he understands Granda’s needs. He knows that Granda will not be able to survive in Rachnadar. He can see Granda dying slowly inside from the confinement and being separated from Rory. He makes an escape plan and they run away from the homes. It does not matter where they are going because as long as they are together, Granda feels alive and happy.

Rory has also shown his bravery because Granda depends on him for moral and physical support and encouragement. He has to make decisions about placing their trust in strangers and more importantly he has to decide about going to Liverpool. Granda is very much against the idea while Rory hopes that his father can take over the responsibility to look after Granda.

Based on the evidences above, I admire Rory because he is responsible, understanding and brave.

Using details from the novel you have studied, describe a character who deserves our sympathy , explain why you think he or she deserves our sympathy. Support your answer with close reference to the text.

Based on the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Catherine MacPhail, the character who deserves our sympathy is Rory McIntosh.

Although Rory is only a young boy, he is given the heavy job of looking after his grandfather who is ill. It is not easy to look after an old man who is sick and has lapses of memory. Rory’s time is divided between going to school, running home to get lunch ready for Granda, reminding him to take his pills and so on. He even gives up playing football to make sure Granda has his meals and takes his medicine on time.

I sympathise with Rory because he is a very young boy doing a man’s job with no one to help him. He cannot join his friends at play nor join the football team because he has to take care of his grandfather. Rory seems to be letting his childhood pass by.

I do not, also, see Rory behaving as a young child should. He does not laugh like children of his age do even in situations that are supposed to be funny. Darren and his friends find Granda’s actions hilarious but Rory knows the seriousness of the situation. Thus I feel that Rory cannot let his hair down and behave like a child. He has always to be alert and watchful over his Granda so that no harm comes to him.

Therefore, I feel that Rory deserves the greatest sympathy considering the type of responsibilities he has to shoulder and that he has to lose out on his childhood.

Theme of Happiness

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.

SBP TRIAL PAPER

Using details from the novel that you have studied, write about:

- a memorable event

- how the event affects one of the characters in the story

In the novel “Catch Us If You Can“ written by Catherine MacPhail, there are many interesting events depicted in it. The event which is most memorable to me is Rory’s and Granda’s Great Escape. In this event, Rory came up with a well-thought plan to run away from Castle Street, the children’s home and help Granda escape from Rachnadar, the old folks’ home. Rory realised that Granda was wasting away at Rachnadar and he himself found the pressure of staying at the children’s home increasingly unbearable. Rory and Granda desperately wanted to be always together. Those were the reasons why Rory plotted such an escape. The Great Escape affected one of the characters, which was Rory, in many ways.

The first way was, it affected Rory by making him more determined and confident. This could be seen in his effort to be together with Granda. He knew what he wanted and he was not afraid to act to get it. For example, when he resolved to get his grandfather out of Rachnadar, he planned it meticulously and executed it so well that they managed to sneak out of the hospital undetected to his friend’s mother’s caravan at a remote area. It was a challenge to run off with an ailing old man but Rory felt that his grandfather was like his baby brother, relying on him to make things better, so it did not deter him from doing so. Rory was very determined and confident when it concerned safeguarding his granda’s happiness.

Another effect on Rory was, the Great Escape had made him more responsible towards the safety of Granda and also himself. Throughout the escape, Rory carefully took care of Granda’s health by ensuring his medicines were taken at the right time and they had the safe shelter to stay throughout their journey. As they had no final destination in mind, Rory also made sure that he always carried with him some food and warm clothes. They had to keep on running and Rory had to be alert all the time to avoid both of them from being caught by the police. Although Rory was just a teenage boy, he could not rely on Granda as Granda was not very healthy and could easily be panic. Besides, Granda also had lapses of memory and hearing problem which made things more complicated for Rory. Once, Rory had to yank Granda into the bushes to avoid the police as Granda was too busy talking to realize the dangers coming. Here, we could see that Rory’s sense of responsibility had developed tremendously during the journey.

Being on the run had affected Rory in making him more matured. Rory might be young but he was a matured boy who readily admitted his mistakes when he had to. For example, when he learned that he had misjudged Ruby and her family as travelers, people from whom he should keep distance, he quickly apologized and promised not to be so judgmental in the future. Rory’s maturity was obviously highlighted when he had to make decision in his life. It had been a tough decision for Rory when he chose to run away with Granda. It was challenging for him when he had to look out for the police who were after them besides handling Granda with his worsening health and unpredictable nature. There were times when he wondered if he was doing the right thing to run away with Granda especially when he realised Granda’s wheezing getting more painful. However, all

doubts were dispelled as he found Granda look happy even when he was exhausted. Being together with Rory was all wanted by Granda. Rory was then confident that he had made the right decision and for sure he would not be able to do so if he were not matured.

The Great Escape had also taught Rory to place his trust on strangers as a way out. He knew he would lose Granda if he did not. Rory was lucky that he met some good people along the way who would help them proceed on their run. However , at first he was always suspicious of their motive behind their assistance. He would initially adopt a defensive attitude when he first met such people until he knew that he could trust them. For example, he was curious and doubtful when he first met Sammy and Ruby. However, later on they grew to care for each other and Rory felt quite reluctant to leave them as if he was leaving his own family behind. He also learned to trust Rab when he realized that Rab was sincere. In such a desperate situation like the Great Escape, Rory had no choice but to trust some strangers in order to save him and his granda.

Another major effect on Rory was the Great Escape had finally made Rory reunite with his father, Jeff and his father’s family. Rory and Granda finally settled down in Liverpool. They stayed in a flat close to Rory’s father. Rory was happy to have a new family which included a stepmother and two younger sisters. In spite of Granda’s stories about Jeff, Rory found Jeff easy to get along. Granda also had forgiven Jeff . They were all finally reunited as a family.

As conclusion, the most memorable event in this novel to me is the Great Escape. This event had so much affected Rory, one of the main characters in this novel, that it caused Rory to learn to trust strangers and be more matured, determined, confident and responsible.

Theme of Forgiveness or Reconciliation

In Catherine MacPhail’s “Catch Us If You Can”, Rory has been cared for by his grandfather whom he calls Granda for as long as he remembers. According to Granda, his own father was a spoilt brat of a boy; just mentioning him would make Granda angry. He grew up to be someone who did not appreciate what he got and left Rory’s mother who later died of heartbreak. And that was when the senior McIntosh decided to cut all ties with his son. He is adamant that the only son he had is Rory and he can very well take care of the boy.

The irony of the situation is, Rory has been looking after his Granda who is not well and needs medications for all sorts of ailments. As a result, Rory has to look after him, take him to the doctor, prepare his lunch and make sure he takes his medicines – all too big a responsibility for a young boy like him. Despite the difficulties, both Rory and Granda refuse to be separated, as any solution would entail sending the old man to a nursing home and the boy, a children’s home.

However, after Granda accidentally sets fire in their flat, he is sent to Rachnadar, an old folks’ home and Rory to the children’s home in Castle Street. They cannot bear being separated. Rory takes Granda out from the home and both go on a run. Soon, the police is looking for them. News about them appears on the media. Rory and Granda manage to evade the police because they get help from people who sympathize with them along their journey.

Investigations reveal that Rory’s father, Jeff McIntosh is in Liverpool and they are advised to go and see him. While on their way to Liverpool, Granda becomes too sick. The police is informed by one of the people who helps them, Norma, who feels that the old man needs immediate help. Jeff, with the help of the authorities, arrives to take his father and his son with him. Both father and son are reconciled and Rory finds his long-lost father. Jeff is ready to take on his responsibilities as a son to his father, Granda, and as a father to his son, Rory.

The story ends with a reconciliation between the ageing and ailing father and the son he has vowed to disown, Jeff. As for Rory, it is a happy reunion with the father he has never known.

The Moral Value That Has Impressed You The Most

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.

CATCH US IF YOU CAN

Literature – Novel

TIPS AND GUIDE

IMPORTANT EVENTS

You must remember a few important events in the novel. This is because you need to support your answer with evidence and examples . These examples and evidence are the events. For example, the question; write about what you have learnt. If you write that you learnt you should love elders and family members, you have to support it by giving evidence. Here, the evidence can be when Rory is separated from Granda, which is one of the events in this novel.

HERE ARE 3 IMPORTANT EVENTS.

1. Granda throws Rory’s homework

One day, Granda absent-mindedly throws away Rory’s homework and keeps rubbish in Rory’s bag. Rory is not angry. He knows Granda does not do it on purpose.

What does this event tell us?

— Rory – a patient boy

loves his Granda so much that he understands his Granda’s condition.

— Theme – love, family relationship,

— Lesson learnt – we must love the elders and be patient with them

2. The Separation, Rory is sent to Castle Street and Granda to RachnadarAfter the fire at the flat, Rory is sent to Castle Street and Granda to Rachnadar. Rory is not happy. Granda does not like to stay there and he is upset and cries. Rory sees Granda sitting on his bed and crying at Rachnadar. It breaks his heart . Granda and Rory cannot live without each other. Rory decides to run away with Granda

What does this event tell us?

— Rory – loving, responsible, cannot live without Granda

— Theme – love, family relationship

— Lesson learnt – we should love our family and be responsible

3.The Great EscapeRory plans the Great Escape. Darren suggests hiding in his mother’s caravan. Rory carefully carries out his plan. He packs his and Granda’s things. He visits Granda after school, as usual. He wedges open the emergency exit. Later that night, he sneaks into Rachnadar and takes Granda away from there.

What does this event tell us?

· Rory – a brave boy, a person of action, loving, responsible, cannot live without Granda

· Theme – challenges of growing up and coping with responsibility

· Lesson learnt – we should be brave to face challenges in life and do what we think is right

Model Answer

In the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Cathrine MacPhail, the part that I like most is the great escape

Rory plans the Great Escape for three days after Darren suggests hiding in his mother’s caravan. He gives Rory the spare key to the caravan. Rory carefully carries out his plan. He packs his and Granda’s things. He visits Granda after school, as usual. He wedges open the emergency exit. Later that night, he visits Granda and prepares Granda by dressing him up and then tells him that he is getting out of the home. Rory takes Granda away from there while Val is having coffee with the nurses. Both of them successfully sneak out through the emergency exit and out to a quiet train station where they are not noticed. They arrive at the train final stop and go uphill in a fine drizzle and then up a long winding path that leads to the caravan site.

I like this part the most because it shows that Rory is a loving boy. He loves his Granda so much that he could not stand looking at his granda crying and feeling sad staying at Rachnadar. Because of this, he is determined to take Granda out from Rachnadar.

This part of the story also shows us how determined Rory is in making his escape a success. He cannot live without his Granda who has brought him up and taken care of him since he was a baby, and because of that he takes the risk to take his Granda out from Rachnadar. I also think that this is the start of all the adventures and challenges of Rory’s and granda’s lives.They meet with a lot of people and are always on the run so that they are not caught. It makes the story interesting and leads to the happy ending when Rory is reunited with his father.

‘Love keeps a relationship alive’ How is this shown in the novel that you have read? Support your answer with close reference to the text. (MRSM 2011)

‘Love keeps a relationship alive’ is wonderfully portrayed by Catherine McPhail in the novel Catch Us If You Can. The love is shown between a grandfather and his grandson, Granda and Rory. The love between both characters can be felt by readers when we then see the strong family bond that is keeping Granda’s and Rory’s relationship alive.

Rory and Granda are very loving towards each other and take care of one another. Rory remembers the time when Granda used to help him put up the Christmas tree and carry him on Granda’s shoulders to football matches. The wonderful moments remembered when Granda took care of him makes Rory feel responsible of taking care of Granda whom is senile, how Rory shows his love by tending to Granda’s needs such as preparing his lunch, hiding Granda’s pipe and reminding Granda to take his medication. He also drills Granda on how to behave during Parent’s Night to prevent Granda from being forgetful just like setting himself on fire at Dr. Nicole’s clinic. On the other hand, even though Granda is senile he still can show his love towards Rory by appreciating Rory’s care towards him. He tells Dr. Nicole that he is glad to have Rory as a grandson.

The love between these two characters keeps them from being separated by many parties. Who would count on a child to take care of an old person? That is why people such as Dr. Nicole advises Rory and Granda to get a home help. Mrs Foley also intends to foster Rory to loosen his burden. Val Jessup a social worker sent by Dr. Nicole helps them with their household chores. One day Granda was sent to the hospital and Val Jessup told Rory they were going to be separated as Granda was to be sent to an old folk’s home, Rachnadar. Rory cried and protested the fact that he was being separated from Granda. In order to stay together as a family, Rory devised a great escape to run away from everyone who was trying to keep them apart. Even though Rory and Granda faced many problems along the way, they both used their minds to solve it and prevent from being separated again. Their relationship is still kept alive even when they had to run away from authorities that were hot on their trail.

Love can also be seen between the minor characters that are the travellers consisting of the gypsies. Even though travellers and gypsies are looked down by people, they do not care as long as they can travel together as one big family. That is why ‘love keeps a relationship alive’ is truly portrayed in this novel.

Based on the novel Catch Us If You Can by Catherine MacPhail, the value of love in a relationship is constantly pondered upon. Indeed, love makes the world spin, and in this case, it keeps a relationship alive.

Rory is an average boy, only with a peculiar lifestyle. Society accepts the norm that the old takes care of the young. In Rory’s case, it is vice versa. He was the one who took care of his Granda. His estranged father, Jeff, was nowhere to be found. Granda was always old and forgetful. He was not even able to take care of himself, much less Rory. Rory took care of their meals, and tended to Granda’s medications. He even ignored his passion for sports. He did not mind a bit, due to his unconditional love for Granda.

When Rory was separated from Granda, he stayed at Castle Street in agony, knowing that Granda was falling apart without him. His love for Granda pursued him to maintain their relationship by running away. He devised a brilliant plan, taking the consequences into consideration. He never lost sight of what was really important, and that was he was all that Granda had, and Granda was all he had, too. It is proven here that Rory’s love for Granda keeps the relationship alive. Rory might not be an adult yet, but his actions showed otherwise.

Rory’s love for Granda was not one-sided. Granda was well aware of his complexities and Rory’s patience when dealing with them. Ever since Jeff abandoned Rory, Granda treated him like he was his own son. He loved him more than anything in the world. His love for Rory was obviously shown during their escape adventure. He proved himself worthy of the name Granda when he made breakfast in the morning after their escape. Rory seemed glad that his Granda was returning back to his capable self again. His love for Rory also drove him to do unexpected things; such as whacking a person’s head with a bottle when Rory was threatened. He impulsively decided to steal a car when they had no more means of transportations during their escape. Rory was scared out of his wits, but secretly impressed by his Granda’s confidence. Reaching to the end, we can see how Granda was losing strength. However, he kept going. He had only Rory in mind. Eventually, he lost consciousness and Rory had to ask for help. Fortunately, he survived and kept going on living with his love for Rory. Granda’s love for Rory kept their relationship, and eventually himself, alive.

With these evidences, it is shown in the novel that love really keeps a relationship alive. Hats off to Catherine MacPhail.

The writer describes the main character as a very determined person. Using the details from the novel that you have studied, write about:

· Some instances that show the character’s determination· How the determination affects his family

In the novel ‘Catch Us If You Can’ woven by Catherine McPhail, I noticed how the writer skillfully braided the theme of determination and show it to the enthusiastic readers on how the theme of determination delivered affect the family of those with determination.

In the fine art of written words, readers can learn how the main protagonist and narrator of the story, Rory McIntosh was portrayed as a boy with huge determination set in him when it came to achieving what he wanted. Growing up in an unusual lifestyle, Rory was very determined to stay with his old and senile grandfather even if it meant for him to toil with all the burden of caring for a weak and forgetful old man. Instead of living like other normal kids his age, Rory had to face huge burden of taking care of Granda’s needs and deteriorating health condition, and problems of losing his homework and sacrificing his passion for football game. Despite what the people around him say, including his teacher and his bestfriend’s mom’s disagreement of such trouble that a young boy like him had to shoulder, his determination nestled strongly in his heart to make him carry out his duty unfailingly towards his beloved Granda by getting him food and medicine, and meeting his Granda’s appointment with his doctor.

In his undisputed determination, Rory’s further move in his goal to keep his one and only family together with him is simply an eye-opener. An evidence can be simply found during the grand night of Rory’s scheme to escape from his ‘prison’, an orphanage called Castle Street and to sneak into his granda’s ‘prison’, an old folk home. His attempt was carefully executed, smuggling granda out to freedom to the outside world so that they can stay together as a family, even with the risk of being called fugitives.

With cops on their tails, their faces aired on every news nationwide and pleads from people for them to show up, Rory displayed great determination in surviving and continuing with his struggle to tend to Granda’s state of health for the sake of their plight for family unity. Though doubts crept into his heart throughout their journey, especially with Granda’s worsening condition, his determination bears fruits of triumph and joy for their family. Unexpectedly, they were reunited with distant family member they had lost hope of meeting, and can now settle in a comfortable place they can simply call home.

A person’s determination can bring back positive outcomes for him and his family’s future. It is just a matter of place and time. As for Rory, with his will and determination, he has won the best prizes one could ever get; to finally be together with Granda for good, reunited with his father and getting a handful of friends who have supported them throughout his great adventure. Enough said, McPhail had shown her skill in creating this literature and her good message of the importance of determination and how this can impact the family and the character himself in many ways.

SPM 2011 – NOVEL QUESTION

Based on the novel you have studied, write about the part of the story that you like most.

Model Answer ( Band A )

In the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Cathrine MacPhail, the part that I like most is the great escape

Rory plans the Great Escape for three days after Darren suggests hiding in his mother’s caravan. He gives Rory the spare key to the caravan. Rory carefully carries out his plan. He packs his and Granda’s things. He visits Granda after school, as usual. He wedges open the emergency exit. Later that night, he visits Granda and prepares Granda by dressing him up and then tells him that he is getting out of the home. Rory takes Granda away from there while Val is having coffee with the nurses. Both of them successfully sneak out through the emergency exit and out to a quiet train station where they are not noticed. They arrive at the train final stop and go uphill in a fine drizzle and then up a long winding path that leads to the caravan site.

I like this part the most because it shows that Rory is a loving boy. He loves his Granda so much that he could not stand looking at his granda crying and feeling sad staying at Rachnadar. Because of this, he is determined to take Granda out from Rachnadar.

This part of the story also shows us how determined Rory is in making his escape a success. He cannot live without his Granda who has brought him up and taken care of him since he was a baby, and because of that he takes the risk to take his Granda out from Rachnadar. I also think that this is the start of all the adventures and challenges of Rory’s and granda’s lives.They meet with a lot of people and are always on the run so that they are not caught. It makes the story interesting and leads to the happy ending when Rory is reunited with his father.

Question: Based on the novel you have studied, write about an event and how it affects one of the characters. Give evidence to support your answer.

In the novel Catch Us If You Can, by Catherine McPhail, an event that affects one of the characters in the story is when Rory takes Granda out from Rachnadar, a home for the aged. After taking his Granda out from Rachnadar, Rory decides to escape from the town where they both lived.

Their escape takes them to many places and they meet many people who help them. Rory learns valuable lessons from these people. For example, Rory learns about compassion and kindness from Sammy and Ruby’s family. From Rab, Annie and Norma, Rory learns that there are people in this world who would help others and the help comes in many forms. When Norma reports Rory and Granda to the police, she does so out of the kindness of her heart. This makes Rory touched and grateful.

This event has changed Rory’s life. His life has changed for the better when he and his Granda are reunited with Rory’s father. Now, Rory not only has a father, he also has new family members; a stepmother and two stepsisters. Granda has also learned to accept and forgive Rory’s father and this makes Rory very happy.

Before this escape, Rory was worried about his Granda and as he has to take up the responsibility of taking care of Granda, he cannot lead a normal life of a young, growing boy. Finally, at the end of the story, however, Rory’s life has improved as there are certain services provided for the elderly. He also has his father who is willing to take care of Granda whom he has neglected for years. Due to this, Rory can lead a normal life like his schoolmates. All these positive changes would not have happened if Rory had not taken his Granda out from Rachnadar.

Question: Based on the novel you have studied, who do you think is the most interesting character? Give reasons to support your answer.

In the novel “Catch Us If You Can” by Cathrine MacPhail, the character I think interesting is Rory, the main character in this novel.

Rory is very patient especially in taking care of his Granda who suffers from memory lapses. This can be seen when Rory asks Granda where he put his homework. He notices a bulge in his rucksack. It is a bag of rubbish in his rucksack. Granda has absent-mindedly thrown away his homework and kept the rubbish instead. The next day in class, Mrs Foley asks Rory about his homework and Rory tells Mrs Foley the truth, that he has lost his homework. Mrs Foley asks him to stay back at lunchtime to do his homework but Rory cannot stay as he has to rush home to prepare Granda’s lunch. Rory knows that Granda does not do it deliberately and he does not scold or blame Granda.

Rory is also very determined. He shows this when he plans the Great Escape for three days after Darren suggests hiding in his mother’s caravan. He gives Rory the spare key to the caravan. Rory carefully carries out his plan. He packs his and Granda’s things. He visits Granda after school, as usual. He wedges open the emergency exit. Later that night, he visits Granda and prepares Granda by dressing him up and then tells him that he is getting out of the home. Rory takes Granda away from there while Val is having coffee with the nurses. Both of them successfully sneak out through the emergency exit and out to a quiet train station where they are not noticed. They arrived at the train final stop and go uphill in a fine drizzle and then up a long winding path that leads to the caravan site.

Another good thing about Rory is, he is a loving boy. —After the fire at the flat, Rory is sent to Castle Street and Granda to Rachnadar. Rory is not happy. Granda does not like to stay there and he is upset and cries. Rory sees Granda sitting on his bed and crying at Rachnadar. It breaks his heart . Granda and Rory cannot live without each other. Rory decides to run away with Granda.

Although Rory is still a boy, he has many good qualities many boys of his age do not possess. Because of this, I think Rory is a very interesting character

The novel I have studied is “Catch Us if You Can”.

A character that I look up in this novel is Granda. This is because Granda is a very responsible person. Granda shows his responsibilities by taking care of Rory, his grandson. Rory was abandoned by his father, who had left him hanging in this miserable world. Granda took care of Rory after the death of his mother. He was the only grandson that Granda have and that was the reason why Granda took care of him nicely.

Besides, Granda is also a man filled with surprises. He could make readers went flabbergasted as he could punch a thug although he was too old. He was also capable of stealing a car and could run as fast as a cheetah to get his track away from the cops. The cops chased after him as he ran away from Rachnadar, a place for old people lives.

He is a funny and entertaining man indeed. He could make me laugh when i am reading this novel. He likes to tell jokes to Rory and makes Rory laugh. He likes to talk about movie stars that he likes to everyone he meets. He also commented on Mrs. Folley’s mustache and made the whole bunch of crowd laugh at her.

Based on the reason above, he is why the person i look up to in this novel.