SuitabookJumping to Confusions
Liz Rettig
- Reading
- Read it as a comic exploration of uncertainty rather than accepting every assumption as reliable. Pause after Cat interprets Josh’s behaviour, then revisit those impressions as the situation develops.
- Themes
- Appearance and self-worth: Cat sees herself as fat and plain beside her slim, blonde twin, while comments from family reinforce the comparison. The premise places appearance-based self-esteem at the centre, but it is not clear whether the story consistently challenges or reproduces those standards.
- Assumptions about sexuality: Cat interprets Josh’s lack of interest in Tessa as evidence that he may be gay, and their friendship develops around that belief. The book’s stance on this remains unclear.
- Jumping to conclusions: Cat repeatedly forms conclusions without sufficient evidence, particularly when interpreting Josh’s behaviour and relationships. The central comic device invites attention to how incomplete information can produce confident but mistaken interpretations.
- Worth knowing
- Notice how Cat’s body and appearance are compared with Tessa’s, and how assumptions about Josh’s sexuality shape the friendship. The humour may be worth discussing alongside its treatment of confidence and attraction.