Queen Kat, Carmel And St Jude Essay, Research Paper
After a disappointing HSC result, Carmel McCaffrey could not pursue her dream of being in the music industry. She travels from her poor farm home in Mandella to the city, despite her parents belief that she should learn a computing course at home. Carmel believes that the city will provide her with a great opportunity to follow her desire to become a musician. Meanwhile, Jude Torres travels to the city to study medicine and follow her father?s footsteps. We learn that Jude?s father was helping the victims from the right wing forces by stealing medical supplies. He was caught and killed by the police and Jude feels that she ought to make up the past injustice. Katerina Armstrong is the daughter of a wealthy family, whose main competitor for success is her sister Louise. Obtaining marks that enable her to do an Art/Law course makes her on her way to achieve this goal. The three young adults come together in the city, where they reside in the Armstrong?s house.
At first, Carmel feels really uncomfortable and frightened of Kat. She could only prevent her homesickness by playing the piano. Her embarrassment after breaking a chair during a discussion makes her feel very self-conscious. However, after a chat with Jude, who also thinks that Kat is the boss, and praises her singing, they gradually become friends. Carmel?s ability to sing disguises her uncomfortable weight problem, hence, changing people?s perspective on her. Carmel begins to neglect university and is mesmerised first by stealing and then by the suburban streets and cafes. When Jude finds out that she has not been attending university, she finds her a job as a waitress. Carmel then transfers to singing, and both Jude and Kat attend and they are delighted with her talent. At the Easter party at Mandella, Carmel falls in love with Anton, and Kat is jealous. Carmel gradually changes herself, building up the confidence to enable her to stand up against Kat, and then to throw a brick through the window of Anton?s because he was sleeping with Kara, Kat?s friend. Disowned Nance dies
The strong-headed Jude first gains Carmel?s friendship and acquires a waitressing job for her before telling her about the protest that she is leading so that the government will acknowledge South American social justice issues in Australia. She encourages Carmel attend, as well as her friends Annie, Declan, Eduardo, Juan, Jose and Miguel to sing South American songs. When Juan informs Jude that one of the officials that tortured her father was still alive, Jude becomes anorexic and proceeds to investigate Orlando. Her mother Cynthia results in telling her the truth about her fasther and her experience in giving away her best friend in order to save Jude?s life. Jude then undergoes a massive transformation, she acquires a tattoo, cuts her hair short and regains her weight. This is a symbol of her forgetting the past and getting on with her life.
Initially, Kat regarded herself as a level above everyone else and was critical about Carmel and her weight. In and out of boyfriends, Kat is constantly with Jordan, a photographer, who wants her to star in a calender. She agrees, not realising that she would be raped. She is really jealous of Carmel?s beautiful voice, and of her sister?s perfect life. Her only two friends were Kara and Jules. Jules supplied access to drugs and Kat was invited to a gay warehouse party. Taking 15 drugs with him and asking Kat to mind them, the warehouse was suddenly busted and Kat was caught and charged with trafficking. Needing to incriminate Jules to enable a not guilty verdict on her case, she tells the police everything. However, a newspaper revealing this ?party? lead to her being disowned by her parents. When they visited Mrs McCaffrey?s when about to die, Kat lets Joe and Shane swim and have a great time at her house. She feels the relief of the party. Likes vince
Back in Mandella, the relations and friends of Carmel, Jude and Kat have a good time after the burial of Mrs McCaffrey. The three of them trewad to the top of the mountain where they could see the sun rising. They each realise that they are lucky to be alive and happy in the world.