Kate’s Bucket Symbol Analysis

Kate’s bucket symbolizes her stubborn self-reliance, which hinders her ability to work as part of a team. Kate fills her red bucket with any survival tool she could possibly need, including a magnet, a bag of marbles, and a spyglass disguised as a kaleidoscope. Kate solves most of Mr. Benedict’s tests with the help of her bucket and its contents, and all of her tools help the Mysterious Benedict Society in their adventures. The bucket’s usefulness is precisely what makes it problematic for Kate. She carries everything she might need on her person, so as far as she’s concerned, she never needs to ask for help. At the end of the novel, she recognizes this as her fatal flaw—she is so desperate to prove herself that she refuses to request help, even when she is out of her depth. Kate clings to her bucket throughout the story, just as she clings to her image of self-sufficiency. Even when she and Constance are being chased by Executives, Kate risks both girls’ safety to retrieve her bucket after it falls. When Kate finally learns to put her friends before her pride, she lets herself fall down a rope so that her weight can propel Constance to safety, in an image that mirrors this selfish moment with the bucket.