Cat in the rain analysis

Cat in the rain by Ernest Hemmingway is build up by the iceberg theory. The iceberg theory means primary that he writes indirectly and between the lines, so the reader has to think a lot about the story. Hemmingway really like to use symbols to hide what he means.

The story takes place at a fancy Italian hotel. The hotel room faces the sea and a garden with a very desired war monument, which Italians come far away to see. The hotel has good service for example when the woman goes out for the cat and then the hotelkeeper takes care of the woman by sending the maid out with an umbrella for her. “…. an umbrella opened behind her. It was the maid who looked after their room. You must not get wet” (S. 1).
In the whole story it is raining a lot “It was raining a lot. The rain dripped from the palm trees” (S. 1). It’s a symbol of their relationship. It is very important that the woman doesn´t get wet. “Do not get wet, he said.” - “You must not get wet” (S. 1). Rain is a main factor for facility, and when the woman doesn’t get wet, it means that the relationship is under a conflict. George said don’t get wet to the woman. It symbolizes that he doesn´t want to do something. Maybe he is satisfied with how relationship goes on.

Another symbol is the cat. The cat symbolizes a baby. She wants to protect the cat, like it was her own baby. “The cat was trying to make herself so compact that she would not be dripped on.” (S.1). Again it relates to their relationship, and tells that it could be better. The woman just wants something she can take care about, because she has nothing in common with her husband George. You can also say, the cat is a personification of the woman herself. She is like the little lonely cat, which is sitting in the rain without any attention.

You can easily say that there are problems between the woman and George. They don’t have the best relationship on earth. The relationship is more like father and daughter. George has the control, and the women just do what he wants her to do. She can´t for example not let her hair grow because of George. When she asks George about the hair he just says, “I like the way it is”. And again short hair is very childish compared to long hair witch is more feminism and sexy. The woman is called “the American girl”. It is more childish and shows her role in the relationship. It is only George who has a real name. It´s a clear symbol of power. I think she acts like a child when she says “Anyway, I want a cat, she said, I want a cat. I want a cat now. If I can´t have long hair or any fun, I can have a cat.“ When I read about their relationship I can feel the awkward and lonely atmosphere. It´s like back in the old days, when the man had all the control and the woman had no rights.

When the woman goes out for the cat she meets the sweet hotelkeeper. The hotelkeeper is just reverse of George. He is helpful and takes care of her. He gives her an umbrella because of the rain. He is actually the kind of man the woman really wants.

I would say that the main theme is isolation. It is primary the woman, but also George who is isolated. You can say their hotel room is the isolation. George sits down and don´t care about anything. The woman tries to flee from the isolation, but she cant and end in the hotel room with George again.

The ending is a bit strange. It’s an open ending. The maid comes with a cat, not the first one but a tortoiseshell cat. “In the doorway stood the maid. She held a big tortoiseshell cat”. However it´s another cat, she has finally something to take care about. Tortoiseshell is actually a symbol of luck so maybe it´s a sign that the woman finally takes more control for her own happiness.