The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger
"The Cat Ate My Gymsuit" is a novel by Paula Danziger that explores the challenges faced by preadolescents through the lens of humor and personal growth. The story follows Marcy Lewis, a thirteen-year-old girl struggling with self-esteem issues stemming from her appearance and her social interactions at school. Initially, Marcy perceives herself negatively, feeling out of place and embarrassed by her body image, which leads to her reluctance to participate in activities like changing for gym class.
The arrival of a new English teacher, Ms. Finney, marks a turning point in Marcy's life. Ms. Finney's innovative teaching methods engage students in meaningful discussions and collaborative projects, fostering a sense of community and self-expression. As Marcy becomes more involved in class and a new after-school club, Smedley, she begins to recognize that many of her peers face their own struggles. This newfound confidence encourages her to confront issues in her home life, particularly her fraught relationship with her father.
As tensions rise between progressive teaching methods and traditional school authority, the narrative delves into themes of parental support, self-advocacy, and adolescent rebellion. Despite ongoing challenges, including Marcy's weight struggles and family conflicts, the novel ultimately champions the journey of self-acceptance and the importance of expressing one's feelings. Danziger’s portrayal of adolescence is both relatable and insightful, presenting a vivid picture of the growing pains that shape young individuals.
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Subject Terms
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit by Paula Danziger
First published: 1974
Type of work: Domestic realism
Themes: Coming-of-age, family, and friendship
Time of work: The early 1970’s
Recommended Ages: 10-13
Locale: The New York City area
Principal Characters:
Marcy Lewis , an intelligent, sensitive thirteen-year-old who finds school boring and her home a conflicting scene of parental argumentsMs. Barbara Finney , a junior high English teacher who uses innovative teaching methods to challenge her studentsJoel Anderson , Marcy’s friend, an intelligent student who is a natural leader and organizerLily Lewis , Marcy’s mother, a caring and sensitive woman whose husband tries to intimidate her
The Story
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit focuses on several common problems of preadolescents but does so with zestful humor. Marcy Lewis describes herself as “an adolescent blimp with wire-frame glasses, mousy brown hair, and acne.”
Marcy imagines that other people see her as negatively as she sees herself. She believes that Nancy Sheridan is her friend only because their mothers are old friends. She does not like to speak to her classmates, because she does not want them to feel embarrassed by being seen talking to her. She feels so fat and ugly that she is ashamed to change into a gymsuit.
Marcy’s negative view begins to change when Ms. Finney becomes the new English teacher. She is young, wears clothes unlike those of the other teachers, and does not yell at the students. She involves the students in group activities that force them to communicate with one another. She has them perform plays, videotape book reports, write children’s books, and prepare a class television show. Ms. Finney encourages them to write honestly and to discuss what they are thinking. Marcy is surprised how many people have problems.
Marcy and others form Smedley, an after-school club with Ms. Finney as sponsor, in order to continue discussions of their feelings. Marcy begins to express her opinions and finds that her classmates applaud her.
While the students are enjoying the challenge in Ms. Finney’s classes, other teachers and particularly the school principal find Ms. Finney’s different mode of teaching threatening to them. Other teachers are upset because students speak out in their classes, ask more questions, and suggest that they too join Smedley.
Marcy’s home life also changes because of Ms. Finney’s influence. Because Marcy feels so good about the discussions in Smedley, she suggests to her mother that they share their feelings at home also. Marcy’s father feels threatened, however, by what he calls “that stupid group-dynamics crap” and angrily sends Marcy to her room.
When Ms. Finney is suspended, Marcy and Joel organize a student protest that results in their suspension from school. Parents then become involved in the situation. Marcy’s mother recognizes that Ms. Finney has helped Marcy’s attitude about herself and that Marcy believes very strongly in the position she has taken with her classmates; therefore, she stands by her daughter even when her husband opposes Marcy’s behavior.
Mrs. Lewis also begins to express her opinions. She writes a letter to the local newspaper in support of Ms. Finney’s teaching, speaks up for her daughter to the school principal, and invites other parents of suspended students to her house to discuss plans for the school board hearing on Ms. Finney’s suspension.
At the hearing, Ms. Finney is reinstated but chooses to resign because her suspension has caused so much divisiveness in the school community. In the end, although Marcy still has a weight problem and conflict with her father, she has new confidence in her ability to cope with the problems of growing up.
Context
The Cat Ate My Gymsuit is the first novel by Paula Danziger. In this and other novels, she draws on her experience as a former junior high school teacher in portraying adolescents with problems. Her characters must deal with problems of divorced parents, physiological changes, social relationships, family conflicts, and school situations. Danziger uses humorous exaggeration to help readers learn how to survive adolescence. Through her characters, she urges readers to learn to like themselves and to feel proud of their distinctive qualities.
By using a first-person perspective inside Marcy Lewis’ thoughts, Danziger allows readers insight into the often-outrageous ideas that Marcy carefully conceals from other people. For example, the reader discovers that Marcy worries that her new purple pants suit will make her classmates ask who that “big grape” is. Marcy is a well-rounded character with both good and bad traits. She is a bright thirteen-year-old whose boredom with school and growing inability to communicate with her father make her see herself in a very negative way.
In the beginning, Marcy describes school as a “bummer” with “lousy” lunches, a history class that never “gets past the First World War,” and an English class taught by a series of substitutes who do not last “more than two days.” After Ms. Finney’s arrival, however, Marcy finds her English class exciting and challenging.
As Marcy begins to feel better about school and about her relationship with her classmates, she seeks improvement in her family situation as well. Her father resents change, seeing Marcy’s ideas as revolutionary and her behavior as argumentative. He loses his temper and calls Marcy stupid and fat. This criticism only emphasizes Marcy’s negative self-image, and she retaliates by saying that she hates her father. Although emotional mood swings are typical of adolescents, Marcy’s outbursts are as rude and hurtful as her father’s behavior. Danziger’s novel presents a provocative picture of a young adolescent who is coming of age.