A Child Becoming a Woman:
* Young and impressionable: She is 17 years old, navigating the transition from adolescence to womanhood. This makes her vulnerable and susceptible to the influences of those around her.
* Object of affection: Both Eddie and Marco, her uncle and cousin respectively, see her as an object of their desires, creating a tense and unhealthy dynamic.
* Longing for independence: She is aware of the limited choices available to her as a woman in her time and yearns for a life of her own, which she finds in the arrival of her cousins.
Caught in the Middle:
* Loyal to Eddie: She deeply loves Eddie, who raised her as his own daughter, and feels obligated to him.
* Drawn to Marco: She is attracted to Marco's charm and the promise of a different life. Her feelings for him, though innocent, threaten the established order of Eddie's world.
* Conflicted by her emotions: Catherine is torn between her loyalty to Eddie and her desire for independence, making her a tragic figure caught in a web of love, duty, and desire.
Catalyst for Conflict:
* Unwitting trigger of jealousy: Her attraction to Marco unleashes Eddie's possessive and destructive jealousy, leading to tragic consequences.
* Symbol of changing times: Catherine represents the changing social norms of the time, challenging traditional family structures and the expectations placed on women.
Ultimately, Catherine is presented as a complex and sympathetic character, caught between the expectations of her time and her own yearning for freedom and self-determination. Her naivety and innocence make her vulnerable, but also highlight the destructive power of possessive love and the consequences of stifling personal growth.