Cat in the Rain by Ernest Hemingway is a short story. This story is set in an Italian hotel and focuses on an American couple. They are stuck in the hotel room because of incessant rain, when the wife spots a cat hiding and trying to stay out of the rain. The wife decides to rescue the cat. I enjoy Hemingway’s writing, so picking any of his work is an easy choice.
The couple is confined to their hotel room, which faces the sea, a public park, and a war monument in the town. The wife notices a cat hiding under a table, trying to make herself as compact as possible to stay dry. She feels bad for the cat and decides to bring her inside. When she reaches the spot, the cat is missing. The wife feels dejected about the cat, while her husband is least bothered. The main theme of the story is the distance between the wife and her husband in their marriage. There is clear discord in their emotional intimacy. The wife is fixated with the cat; it reflects her longing for nurturing, attention, and even affection. The indifference shown by her husband, George, is proof of their emotional distance.
The story also critiques the gender roles and expectations, especially in a marriage. The wife feels restricted in her role, and the indifference of her husband to her needs kind of reinforces her lack of control over her life. She wishes to have longer hair and silver as a way to reclaim her identity as a woman, and not just a wife. The innkeeper is always courteous and attentive to any issues the wife has, which contradicts her husband’s behaviour. The wife thinks of the innkeeper as a nice person because of these small acts. It shows how small acts of kindness and respect help fulfil emotional needs.
Ernest Hemingway’s Cat in the Rain has a bittersweet and slightly ambiguous ending. A maid brings a cat to the couple’s room after seeing the wife’s disappointment. But this cat is not the same cat. So, the wife gets what she wants, but not the way she imagined it. Her emotional needs remain unfulfilled to an extent. This story explores loneliness and the quest for emotional connection. It packs a punch in a short span. I really enjoyed reading this story.
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