Leonard (My Life as a Cat)

In the next section of the novel, Sorosiak heightens the emotional stakes of Leonard’s journey by deepening his relationships and introducing new obstacles. Leonard’s time on Earth is running out, and his growing understanding of mortality makes each moment feel more urgent and meaningful, deepening his understanding of What It Means to Be Human. As Leonard experiences more of human life, his focus shifts from wanting to understand humanity in a broad sense to valuing his specific bond with Olive. Leonard comes to realize that the human experiences he craves—watching a movie, eating a cheese sandwich, standing in the ocean—are not meaningful in themselves but because they are shared with others.

Leonard’s emotional development is most evident in the moment when he convinces the penguins at the aquarium to bow to Olive. This moment reflects Leonard’s growing understanding of empathy and his ability to anticipate Olive’s emotional needs. By orchestrating the penguins’ display of recognition and reverence, Leonard gives Olive a public moment of acceptance and joy, making her “deliriously happy” (122)—something that directly counters the shame and isolation she feels after other kids mock her at the beach. This emotional contrast emphasizes the power of connection and how acts of kindness can reshape a person’s self-perception. Olive’s “tears of joy” (122) in this moment echo the tears she shed after the beach incident, but this time she cries tears of happiness and validation, representing the way Leonard has made her feel seen and valued.

Leonard’s evolving understanding of human relationships is also reflected in his changing perception of mortality. Watching The Wizard of Oz with Olive and Norma gives Leonard insight into how art and shared experiences help humans cope with the fear of death. Throughout the movie, Leonard doesn’t think about dying, “not even once” (113), and finds himself caught up in the moment, “without the worry and the stress of thinking about what comes next” (113). Connecting empathetically with the story of the film and sharing the moment with Olive and Norma is what allows Leonard to be truly present and settle into the enjoyment of human life. This scene highlights a shift in Leonard’s thinking about his time on Earth: He no longer sees it as a scientific mission, but as a deeply personal and emotional journey.

The picnic scene reinforces this shift in Leonard’s perspective from abstract to personal. Leonard initially builds up the idea of the cheese sandwich picnic as a key human experience he needs to check off his list. When the picnic doesn’t go as expected—Leonard doesn’t even like the sandwich—he realizes that the true value of the moment comes from sharing it with Olive and Q. The spontaneous moment of standing together in the ocean underscores how Leonard is learning to value emotional connection over surface-level experiences.

This section also heightens the story’s tension by introducing new obstacles. Leonard’s time on Earth is running out, and Olive’s sudden move to California creates a new layer of urgency. The practical difficulty of getting Leonard to Yellowstone reflects the larger emotional stakes of the story, as Leonard’s growing attachment to Olive makes the idea of leaving increasingly painful. At the same time, Leonard’s emotional connection to Earth deepens. Watching the sea turtles hatch, Leonard feels “more human” and “earthlier” (143) than ever before, giving him a profound sense of belonging not just to Olive, Norma, and Q, but to the broader ecosystem of life on Earth. Sorosiak frames this as a major shift in Leonard’s emotional perspective, as he begins to see himself not just as an observer of human life, but as a participant in the larger web of existence.

The introduction of Q as an ally marks another important turning point. Q’s acceptance of Leonard’s alien identity reinforces the novel’s exploration of The Power of Unconditional Friendship, expanding Leonard’s emotional circle and hinting at the way this group will coalesce into a found family. Sorosiak suggests that true friendship is not based on shared background or similarity but on the willingness to accept someone as they are. Leonard’s growing emotional bonds with Olive, Q, and Norma complicates his initial mission to return home, setting up the emotional conflict that will drive the final section of the novel: Whether Leonard can bring himself to leave behind the human life he has come to love.