Kathy and Ruth have a relationship like kettle corn or chocolate covered pretzels. It's a little salty and a little sweet all at once. But somehow, it works for them. They maintain this salty-sweet relationship throughout the entire novel, right to the very end.

For Kathy, hindsight is 20/20. She's often so wrapped up in her own head, that she doesn't see things from anyone else's point of view. But when she's looking backward, Kathy gains a bit more insight. She's finally able to understand what other people might have been thinking.

Moving on can be hard to do. Ruth tries to move on from Hailsham by getting rid of her "collection." We can't imagine Kathy doing something like that. Kathy isn't exactly known for her ability to let go of the past. Why do you think Ruth is so intent on severing ties with Hailsham? What makes her so different from Kathy in that respect?