Final answer:
Katherine is expected to dismiss the criticism as irrelevant or counter it by emphasizing the importance of raising awareness about social issues, in the spirit of both historical muckrakers and literary figures like Sir Philip Sydney who defended the societal value of their works.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question concerns how Katherine reacts to the criticism of her cause by a character who is critical of the newsies for championing the hardships faced by working-class individuals. In responding to the criticism from someone who "paints places he's never seen," Katherine is likely to not simply accept the criticism at face value.
Given the context, Katherine would more likely dismiss the criticism as irrelevant or support the newsies' cause, refuting the criticism by illustrating the importance of raising awareness about social issues, much like muckrakers who expose hardships faced by poor working people. She may follow the steps of Sir Philip Sydney, countering criticism with a well-crafted argument supporting the creation and dissemination of works that raise social consciousness.
The example of muckrakers suggests that issues raised are typically social challenges, which require a nuanced discussion rather than dismissal. The sample passage provided does endorse the fact that the hardships and challenges faced by individuals are legitimate subjects for discourse and are instrumental in driving change, much like a counter argument provided by an inspired author.