Cath and Wren’s room
Cath and Wren used to share a room while they were living with their dad. Wren chose to be in a different room than one with Cath when they went to college. Their room back at their house was full of Simon Snow merchandise, a few of which Cath brings to her dorm room. Wren would rather get new stuff for her dorm room than taking any from her room back at their house. This shows how Wren had been growing away from the Simon Snow universe they were both part of while growing up, while Cath is still attached to it.
Christmas gifts
The first Christmas Cath and Wren spend after their college has started is a melancholy one. Their dad had just recovered from a nervous breakdown, due to which Cath fled college to come and take care of him. Their grandmother didn’t come as she had gone to stay with their aunt and as their dad said it wasn’t fun to watch two almost grown-ups open presents. Their present was thin as Cath had received no presents from her ex-boyfriend, Abel and his family. Their most presents were gift certificates and cards, but what stood our most to Cath were that for the first time in 12 years Wren had given her something that had no association to Simon Snow universe. This shows Wren’s growing detachment from Simon Snow.
Cath’s house
After Cath returned to her house after her dad had been admitted to St. Richard’s due to a nervous breakdown, she begins to see signs that her dad had been leading to his condition from a while. The dishes weren’t done from weeks. There were fast food wrappers everywhere, clothes from weeks have been thrown in the basement instead of being washed. The bathroom mirror had a poem written in it with toothpaste. She could see that he had been sleeping on the couch. To Cath, this all represented the downward spiral her dad had been throwing himself in.
Piper’s grading
The first assignment that Nick and Cath co-wrote was like so much by Piper that she couldn’t express her approval any better than by drawing a miniature version of herself in the margins shouting ‘AAAA…..’ till the whole margin was filled. To Cath, this was a great praise.
Wren’s necklace
When Cath opened her Christmas gifts, she found a very expensive necklace with an emerald pendant. She first thought it as a present from Levi, as he was the only person who called her Cather. But, after seeing the same necklace on Wren, she realized that it was from their mother. This shows Wren’s acceptance of their mother into her life.
