Catherine House

Abstract

Catherine House follows Ines Murillo’s integration into the enigmatic school that gives the novel its title. Catherine House, in the United States of America, establishes itself as a special school, with a curriculum that differs from other higher education institutions. It is highly selective, and students like Ines are required to distance themselves from their personal life, ceasing all contact with their relatives, as well as with anything that might connect them to the outside world, such as popular culture, television and other media, or socialisation with other people apart from those attending the school; additionally, a strong mental discipline is required. Catherine House is said to have formed some of the world’s most renowned scientists, scholars and professionals, ascending in power and influence once they leave the school. Eventually, by following Ines’s journey, it is revealed that Catherine House’s curriculum dwells in advanced scientific theories, specifically in the field of physics, and what is called “plasm studies” or “plasmatics”. This new and experimental area of studies that is being developed by the school explores “new materials” and “plasm”, a new substance which is capable of binding all matter and energy and, as such, can fix broken objects. Furthermore, this “plasm” is used in producing “plasm pins”, which are used on people so as to obtain and reconfigure their identity, memories, mind patterns, and behaviours.