The short story "Cat in the Rain" by Ernest Hemingway is summarized in 3 sentences: It describes an American couple vacationing in Italy where the wife sees a cat in the rain and wants to rescue it, though her husband makes little effort to help. Their interaction shows a lack of connection between them, as the husband is neglectful and the wife feels ignored. The cat represents the emotional desires of the wife that her husband fails to meet, like her need for affection and companionship.

1. Cat in the Rain
Basically, this short story by Ernest Hemingway is about an American couple vacationing in Italy,
the second romantic country of the world after France (well in my opinion). It is raining and the
wife sees a cat in the rain and wants to protect it from the rain, which is odd because usually
children are the one sensitive and naГЇve enough to want to protect animals from such a thing as the
rain since it is not harmful to animals. Only human beings get a cold when standing out in the rain
not animals! Her husband, laying on the bed reading, makes a poor less attempt to offer his help
which can be interpreted as neglect. He tells her (line 9):" I 'll do it" still lying on the bed. She
finally goes by herself and returns unsuccessful. But...show more content...
So it might not entirely be her husband 's fault since she also ignores his compliments: "You look
pretty darn nice," he said. She laid the mirror down on the dresser and went over to the window
and looked out. It was getting dark." Here is another contrast made by Hemingway: the American
way VS the Italian way; Americans are perceived here as people desiring material objects and
then getting tired of them, and then we have the Italians who come at the same place for a
different purpose which is to see the war memorial thus honor the dead. Here Italians are
perceives as people who care about people and not having possessions; they rather honor the dead
than stay inside and read. To sum up, this story is about a couple in crisis because they are not on
the same levels: one is already a man and the other still a girl. We cannot say for a fact that the
American wife is neglected since it is really unclear whether it is that she is neglected or just too
demanding but one thing is sure, her husband makes no attempts to change things. They have to
realize that they have a problem or else their love will die like the raindrops on the
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2. The Cat In The Rain Essay
The Cat in The Rain
In the short story the "The Cat in the Rain" by Ernest Hemingway, the cat is a
symbol around which the story revolves. As a central symbol, the cat reveals the psychological state
and emotional desires of the American wife.
When the cat is first observed it is "crouched under one of the dripping green tables. The
cat was trying to make herself so compact that she would not be dripped on."(56) Even
though the wife is standing to far from the cat to determine its gender, it is described as
"she." This choice of words helps to make a connection for the reader between
the wife and the cat. The woman sees the cat in a treacherous enviorment trying to make it through
...show more content...
"We must go back inside, you will be wet." "I suppose
so" says the American girl, as if her emotions are not drowning in turmoil with the life
she is currently leading. It soon becomes clear to the reader why the woman probably feels like a
cat drowning in the rain.
Her husband is the source of her emotional despair. He leaves her drowning in a storm of
indifference and lack of affection. When she goes back to the room she begins to look at herself in
the mirror studying her profile feeling unwomanly with short hair. She feels this causes the lack of
physical and emotional attention from her husband. When she tells him of all the things she desires,
he merely tells her to "shut up." He really doesn't care about her concerns.
She doesn't defend herself from her husband's verbal abuse but rather begins to pout like a little girl
saying, "I want a cat, I want a cat now. If I cant have long hair or any fun, I can have a
cat."(pg57) Suggesting that her husband will not allow her to have long hair or any fun.
She wants this cat so bad, in order to hold it, pet it, and love it, symbolizing what she wants
physically, to be held and touched, and emotionally, to be loved and cared for.
When she finally gets the cat, it is the hotel keeper who has responded to her needs, rather than her
husband. The hotel keeper causes her "a momentary feeling of
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3. Cat In The Rain Essay
Cat in the Rain
The short story, “Cat in the Rain';, by Ernest Hemingway describes the stereotypical
relationship between two married American tourists, one of whom is striving to recover a
“poor kitty';. This seemingly mundane plot becomes symbolic and purposeful as the
reader gazes beneath the surface to find the true intent of the short story. There are three characters in
Hemingway’s story which help convey these meaningful analogies; in addition, the cat,
the American woman, and the American man all represent something different in our present
American society. The story is set in Europe and involves two foreigners for a special reason. They
are isolated in a sense,...show more content...
He does not seem perceptive to his wife’s needs, whether it is help getting the cat or
confidence about her looks. Instead, he sits back and enjoys reading the newspaper while his loved
one rants and raves. An example of this is when the wife decides that she is going out in the rain
to fetch a lost kitten, the husband gives a courtesy “I’ll do it'; but makes
no further attempt to help out. He has an another chance to help out his wife while she is
pondering what to do with her boyish hair cut; however, he again only offers “I like it
the way it is'; instead of talking it over with her.
The wife’s character is much different than her laid back husband’s. She
is involved with everything and seems to be very sociable; furthermore, she sets a goal to help the
cat although it is pouring rain outside. Throughout the story she is looking for comfort and support
for her actions from her husband. She needs his support to give her confidence to carry through with
her plans. The wife is a good example of striving to reach one’s goal and not losing
hope upon initial failure. She fails in attempting to rescue the cat but in the end she obtains her prize.
The cat is essential to the story because it represents the woman’s wants and desires that
the husband cannot help fulfill. The woman must go
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