1. Discuss the significance: There is something in the unselfish and self-sacrificing love of a brute, which goes directly to the heart of him who has had frequent occasion to test the paltry friendship and gossamer fidelity of man.”
• Answer: The quote states that the kindness and gentleness of an animal means a lot to a person who has spent a lot of time with people, who are mean and careless.
2. How does the description of the cat as “sagacious” contribute to the meaning of the story?
• ?
3. What is the significance of the cat’s name, Pluto?
• Pluto is the Greek God of the underworld.
4. What is the significance of the narrator’s change of disposition from docile and tender to “…more moody, more irritable and regardless of the feelings of others”?
• It shows how the alcoholism slowly changes him over time.
5. Why did the narrator initially restrain himself from maltreating the cat while maltreating the other animals?
• He “loved” the cat, and it was his favorite animal that he owned.
6. Why does he eventually mistreat the cat?
• Alcohol changes his outlook on life, and his love and remorse for the cat fades away.
7. Describe the narrator’s feelings after abusing the cat. What is the significance?
• He was slightly remorseful, yet the alcohol kept him to the point where his “soul was untouched”. This shows that his conscience is slipping away from him.
8. How does the narrator define “perverseness? Do you agree with his definition? Do you agree that it is human nature?
• He describes it as “a perpetual inclination… to violate that which is law, just because we understand it to be such”. That is a very legitimate definition of the word in my opinion. I also agree that it is human nature, because most people want to make their own judgments, rather than abiding by others rules.
9. Significance: [I] hung it because I knew that it had loved me, and because I felt it had given me no reason for offence; because I knew that in doing so I was committing a sin.”
• The narrator is basically saying that there was no good reason as to why he hung his cat, and it had never done him wrong in any way. It shows how his perverse mindset is growing stronger and stronger, and he is doing evil just because he can.
10. Discuss the significance of the fire. How does the narrator explain the phenomenon he discovers after the fire? What does the phenomenon symbolize?
• The fire consumes his entire house, destroying everything he owned. This probably makes him a meaner, more spiteful person. He describes the phenomenon as “marvelous”, and says that his “wonder and terror were extreme”. The phenomenon symbolizes revenge, because ironically the fire happens the same night he kills the cat, and the cat leaves a marking on the wall.
11. What is significant about the new cat and his markings? What does the cat symbolize?
• The new cat is pretty much identical to Pluto, except for his white markings on his chest. This cat symbolizes a second chance for the narrator to care for a cat, and to redeem himself for the sin he committed.
12. Discuss: “And now was I indeed wretched beyond the wretchedness of mere Humanity. And a brute beast to work out for me – whose fellow I had contemptuously destroyed – a brute beast to work out for me – for me a man, fashioned in the image of the High God – so much of insufferable woe!”
• ?
13. Why is it significant that this cat will not leave the narrator alone?
• The narrator used to love it when Pluto didn’t leave him alone, but does not like it when the new cat does it. This eventually causes the narrator to do crazy things.
14. How does the fact that the narrator kills his wife instead of the cat add to the meaning of the story?
• It shows that he has no remorse for anything anymore. It also shows that his love for the cat may have been stronger than he made it out to be.
15. What is significant about the narrator’s method of disposing of the body?
• His method shows that he was afraid of being caught for the crime he committed.
16. Discuss the significance, “I made no doubt that I could readily displace the bricks at this point, insert the corpse, and wall the whole thing up as before, so that no eye could detect anything suspicious.
• This quote also shows that he is afraid of being caught. It shows that he has a feeling that he will be investigated, and his house may be searched.
17. Why is the narrator able to sleep well after he conceals the body?
• He feels as if he is accomplished, and nothing is bothering him.
18. Significance: “Once again I breathed as a free man.”
• This quote lets the reader know that his wife was most likely very bothersome to him.
19. Why does the narrator feel triumphant when the police arrive?
• This is what he wanted the whole time. He knew that they would not find the body, and his hands would be clean of the crime.
20. Discuss the syntax and punctuation in the following: “No sooner had the reverberation of my blows sunk into silence, than I was answered by a voice from within the tomb! – by a cry, at first muffled and broken, like the sobbing of a child, and then quickly swelling into a one long, loud, and continuous scream, utterly anomalous and inhuman – a howl a wailing shriek, half of horror and half of triumph, such as might have arisen only out of hell, conjointly from the throats of the dammed in their agony and of the demons that exult in damnation!”
• The narrator’s tone starts to build, and his comparisons start to get more and more frightening.
21. How do you explain the ending? Discuss the symbolism.
• I think the narrator started hallucinating, and may have told the police where he had hidden the body. He put the cat inside of the tomb with his wife, and the cat started howling demonically because it was a “witch” (his wife was very superstitious about cats being witches in disguise).
Vocabulary
1. Solicit: (V) -to seek for (something) by earnest or respectful request, formal application, etc.
Synonym: Beg, Antonym: Refuse, Ex. "The man solicited money from the church." "I solicited my mom for the new IPod the other day."
2. Mad: (Adj) -mentally disturbed; deranged; insane; demented.
S: Delirious, A: Sane, Ex. "Charles Manson went mad during the sixties." "The kid that sits next to me in literature acts mad, or mentally disturbed."
3. Succinct: (Adj) -expressed in few words; concise; terse.
S: Consice, A: Lenghty, Ex. "I was succinct when I talked to my ex girlfriend." "John speaks in a clear, succinct manner."
4. Phantasm: (N) -an illusory likeness of something.
S: Fabrication, A: Delusion, Ex. "What she thought she saw across the street turned out to be just a phantasm.
5. Docile: (Adj) -easily managed or handled.
S: Obediant, A: Unruly, Ex. "The bassett hound was very docile." "The procedure was docile, and it didn't take long."
6. Disposition: (N) -the predominant or prevailing tendency of one's spirits; natural mental and emotional outlook or mood; characteristic attitude.
S: Leaning to, A: Anti-Mood, Ex. "John's disposition was very easy going today." "Evan's disposition was blank."
7. Sagacious: (Adj) -having or showing keen discernment, and sound judgment.
S: Clever, A: Uneducated, Ex. "The cat is very sagacious" "Evan makes very sagacious decisions."
8. Paltry: (Adj) -lacking in importance or worth; trivial.
S: Cheap, A: Worthful, Ex. "The concert tickets were paltry after Jack couldn't go." "The old computer is paltry."
9. Gossamer: (N) -something delicate, light, or flimsy.
S: Sheer, A: Stable, Ex. "The velvet curtains are very delicate, or gossamer." "The floppy disk is very gossamer."
10. Fidelity: (N) -faithfulness to obligations, duties, or observances.
S: Allegiance, A: Unloyal, Ex. "Although they have been married for years, they have kept their fidelity towards each other." "The fidelity of the pilot is very motivating."
11. Procure: (V) -to get by special effort; obtain or acquire.
S: Achieve, A: Fail, Ex. "The Jaguars procured a playoff spot by defeating the Bears." I procured my brother's food when he wasn't looking."
12. Allusion: (N) -the act of alluding; indirect reference:
S: Implication, A: Direct Reference, Ex. "The book made an allusion to Romeo and Juliet." "The girl behind me alluded that she would like my number."
13. Intemperance: (N) -excessive use of alcoholic beverages.
S: Drunkenness, A: Sobriety, Ex. "Intemperance has caused the marriage to fail." "His intemperance has been causing problems in the family."
14. Maltreat: (V) -to treat in a rough or cruel way; abuse.
S: Neglect, A: Nurture, Ex. "The girl maltreated her dog." "The jockey maltreated his horse."
15. Scruple: (N) -a moral or ethical consideration or standard that acts as a restraining force or inhibits certain actions.
S: Fair-minded. A: unprincipled, Ex. "The boy could not cheat, because he was raised with good scruples." "John has very good scruples when it comes to talking to people."
16. Malevolence: (N) -ill will; malice; hatred.
S: Hostility, A: Benign, Ex. "The malevolence between the Bloods and the Crips have caused major problems in California." "The cop showed malevolence towards the suspect."
17. Atrocity: (N) -the quality of being extremely or shockingly wicked, cruel, or brutal.
S: Savage, A: Kind, Ex. "Atrocity was inevitable when he beat up the little kid." "Atrocity is very common in Middle Eastern countries."
18. Debauch: (N) -a period of wanton self-indulgence, an excessive party which includes consumption of alcohol.
S: Lascivious, A: Remedy, Ex. "Debauchery has caused John to make poor decisions."
19. Sentiment: (N) -a mental feeling; emotion.
S: Affectionate, A: Remedy, Ex. "John showed a sentiment of love during graduation." "The blanket held much sentimental value to the girl."
20. Remorse: (N) -deep and painful regret for wrongdoing.
S: Regret, A: Obdurate, Ex. "Charles Manson showed no remorse for his crimes." "John was very remorseful after stealing his mom's money."
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