Cat in the Rain

How does Hemingway use dialogue to establish tone and reveal details about the two Americans and their relationship? Use specific examples to support your thesis.

Compare and contrast the hotel-keeper’s behavior with George’s behavior. How does the wife react to each? What details reveal her feelings toward both characters?

Critics have variously interpreted the cat as a symbol of the wife’s desire for a child, as a symbol of her unmet needs, and as a symbol of her loneliness in her marriage. Which interpretation is most compelling? Explain your choice with details from the story.

George is constantly reading. What does his reading communicate about his feelings toward both his wife and their travel in Italy?

Does George’s initial offer to retrieve the cat for his wife demonstrate that he cares deeply about her needs? Why or why not?

What does “the American girl” say she wants but doesn’t have? Why might she not have those things? Considering those things, do you think having the cat will fulfill her? Why or why not?

When George tells his wife to “Shut up,” how do you interpret his tone (mean, dismissive, teasing, impatient, etc.)? Include details of his wife’s response to justify your interpretation.

It’s unclear whether the “big tortoise-shell cat” the maid delivers is the same cat the wife saw from her window. How does this ambiguity affect the story? Using what you know about the wife’s personality and desires, how might she have reacted to a different cat? Why?