Cut is a 2000 novel by Patricia McCormick, targeted at young adults. It is considered a cult classic

Cult Classic

Cult Classic is a Blue Öyster Cult studio recording released in 1994, containing remakes of many of the band's previous hits.-Track listing:# " The Reaper" - 5:05# "E.T.I...

 among teens.

Fifteen-year-old Callie isn't speaking to anybody, not even to her therapist at Sea Pines (nicknamed "Sick Minds"), the residential treatment facility where her parents and doctor sent her after discovering that she self-mutilates

Self-harm

Self-harm or deliberate self-harm includes self-injury and self-poisoning and is defined as the intentional, direct injuring of body tissue most often done without suicidal intentions. These terms are used in the more recent literature in an attempt to reach a more neutral terminology...

. At some point, Callie does begin speaking to her therapist/doctor, and she helps Callie understand why she self-harms. As her story unfolds, Callie reluctantly becomes involved with the other "guests" at Sea Pines—finding her voice and confronting the trauma that triggered her behavior. Callie gets better with the help of Sydney (her roommate), Claire, Debbie, Becca, Tara, Amanda, and Tiffany. Only with the loving support of her family does she learn why she cuts herself.

Guests with behavioral issues

Callie - cutting; Callie is the Main Character and refuses to talk throughout most of the book.withdrawn; Level 1 at beginning, but moves up to Level 2 later in the novel.

Amanda - cutting; Amanda is introduced as a care-free and frank girl that cuts for decoration in the second chapter. Will cut herself with anything she finds in Sea Pines; Level 1 .

Guests with food issues

Becca - anorexia

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate...

 and bulimia; Becca is one of the original and main characters in the group, but she is later transferred to Hammacher, nicknamed "Humdinger," refusing treatment through hiding food and purging.; Level 2.

Tara - anorexia

Anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder characterized by refusal to maintain a healthy body weight and an obsessive fear of gaining weight. Although commonly called "anorexia", that term on its own denotes any symptomatic loss of appetite and is not strictly accurate...

; Tara is very kind and soft-spoken person that tries to reach out to Callie from an understanding point of view.; Level 2.

Debbie - compulsive eating; Debbie is an extremely overweight person that is mainly friends with Becca. Amanda states that she's "co-dependent" and that Debbie feels the need that she has to take care of Becca; Level 3.

Guests with substance abuse issues

Sydney - addictions to every drug ever tried; Sydney is Callie's "closest" friend and roommate at Sick Minds. She constantly reaches out to Callie by treating her like a normal person and making jokes and looking after her; Level 2.

Tiffany - crack

Crack cocaine

Crack cocaine is the freebase form of cocaine that can be smoked. It may also be termed rock, hard, iron, cavvy, base, or just crack; it is the most addictive form of cocaine. Crack rocks offer a short but intense high to smokers...

; Tiffany is at Sick Minds instead of going to jail and has a little bit of a temper. She leaves Sick Minds towards the middle of the book; Level 2.

Other patients

• Ruth - escorts Callie to Study Hall Level 3 (graduated)
• The "Ghost" - a guest from the "Humdinger" ward who Callie notices in the cafeteria a couple of times. It's revealed she went home later in the book.

Other characters

• "You" (real name is never given) - Callie's psychiatrist (probably not a therapist, because she tells Callie that she is a doctor), who is very kind and gentle towards Callie not talking for a while.
• Rochelle - the night-time bathroom monitor.
• Cynthia - the study hall attendant.
• Ruby - one of the workers in the reception room, likes Callie and tries to help her.
• Claire - The girls' group leader.
• Callie's mom - Callie's mother doesn't seem to be very involved, however, she is concerned but "always tired," as Callie puts it. Watches over Sam very carefully, and is concerned of many things.
• Callie's dad - Callie's dad is equally uninvolved and works to pay for Callie's "treatment" at Sick Minds, which requires almost constant work. Seems to care more than her mother, and rescues her at the end of the book.
• Sam - Callie's younger brother. He seems to care the most about Callie, but is not aware of what is going on and why Callie is at Sick Minds in the first place. He has very bad asthma, and is always sick. Callie blames herself for his illness. In Chapter 1 Callie tries to talk to Sam, but Sam understands her.
• Peggy - The woman who works at the Dunkin Donuts and helps Callie when she runs away from Sick Minds.