The Name of This Book Is Secret

Cass is the protagonist of the story. Her name is an allusion to Cassandra of Greek mythology, a prophetess who was cursed to never have her predictions believed by those around her, even though her predictions were always accurate. Cass’s character mimics the mythological Cassandra in that her “predictions” are never believed either—although in Cass’s case, they are not objectively true but nevertheless still feel very true to Cass. Cass is a self-proclaimed survivalist, and she exhibits catastrophizing thought patterns, often interpreting small details as indications of imminent emergencies. For example, in Chapter 3, she asks Mrs. Johnson to order an evacuation because she spotted a dead mouse on the field, which Cass takes as a sign the school must be in fatal proximity to a chemical waste dump. She fails to consider other, more plausible explanations, instead jumping straight to the worst-case conclusion. Cass’s anxiety is further demonstrated by her need to keep her backpack with her at all times; she has equipped it with all the tools she feels she needs to ensure survival in any situation and is loath to be without it in case an emergency occurs. The backpack is symbolic of Cass herself, representing both her psychological compulsion to be prepared at all times and her resourcefulness.