SPM Novel "Catch Us If You Can" A Character Who Derserves Sympathy

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.