Rules

Water is intentionally utilized in several different forms as a symbol of communication, or specifically, for the ability to communicate. For example, the pond in which Catherine and her best friend, Melissa, happily swim and dive all the way to the bottom is distasteful to Kristi. Though she tries the pond once, Kristi perceives the water as murky, cold, unappealing, and perhaps dangerous since Ryan told her a big, mysterious fish lurked under the floating platform. Kristi cannot wait to get out of the pond and back to Ryan. Just as she cannot deal with the pond water, so she and Catherine cannot bring themselves to communicate at any depth.

Jason and Catherine’s first interaction occurs after Jason spills water on his shirt and must sit with it wet. Accordingly, he initiates conversation with Catherine. David, who has difficulty with mutual communication, cannot stand to be wet and covers his ears whenever it is raining. Catherine is recorded as holding back her tears repeatedly throughout the narrative until the moment Jason accuses her of not going to the dance because she is embarrassed by him. Later that evening, for a second time when she explodes against David, she weeps and holds him apologizing.