Abstract Metaphors not only can be used as literal interpretation of events, but also have metaphorical meanings. A good example would be the black cat in Edgar Allan Poe's ?The Black Cat? and how the narrator in the story implied throughout the story that the cat is of demonic creature. The black cat in the short story not only has a literal meaning of a normal household cat but also from a metaphorical-side of meaning, as the narrator's personal demon, which haunts him throughout the story and brings him to the point of near insanity.
From the Paper "The first mention of the black cat in the short story is when the narrator's wife noticed his partiality for domestic pets and "lost no opportunity of procuring those of the most agreeable kind" (894), which includes a black cat. In the beginning, the narrator describes the cat as a "large and beautiful animal, entirely black, and sagacious to a degree" (894). When he describes the cat in this way, the narrator gave us his view of the cat as an everyday, normal household cat that people who have had an encounter with cats can feel a real connection to. Even though some people might have the superstitious belief that an entirely black cat might be a minion of the underworld or a witch in disguise which his wife did when she "made frequent allusions to the ancient popular notion" (894), the narrator tries his best to also show that this is a normal cat like any other. The narrator also gives the pet the name of Pluto, which is the name for the god of the underworld in Roman mythology. By doing this, he further connects the black cat of his to something from the underworld. He also calls what he sees when he went back to check out the ruins of his house that burned down as an apparition (895) and a "phantasm of the cat" (896). An apparition is a ghost or spirit and by following what the narrator describes, his view of the black cat goes from a normal household pet to something that haunts him for months. The loss of the cat not only brought him remorse at what he did to the cat when he hung it on a rope but also regret at the loss of a fine pet."
Abstract The battle between dog owners versus cat owners has been brewing for centuries. Each side thinks that they own the best type of pet. This paper examines the issue of owning a dog versus owning a cat, including an analysis of which is better if you have a busy schedule, how much attention and interaction is required of these animals, as well as the basics of how to care for a dog versus how to care for a cat.
Abstract This paper suggests that the freedom of the mind is more important and complex than the freedom of the body as can be seen represented by "The Black Cat" where the perverseness of the free mind binds the body.
Abstract This paper reviews pets and their owners, with specific focus on the division between dog lovers and cat lovers. This paper goes on to define and analyze these differences.
From the Paper "If a house has a furry pet, it is usually a dog or a cat, although some unusual homes boast more exotic creatures such as ferrets or even monkeys and others may contain a mouse or two. However, dogs and cats remain the favorite but have distinct differences that tend to divide people into two camps: the dog lovers or the cat lovers. I prefer dogs; they offer unconditional love and boisterous play to any home. Cats have some similar qualities, too. Despite this, the cat lovers and the dog lovers endlessly compete to determine which is the better furry friend. Let's take a look at some of their reasons. Cats are, for the most part, thought to be more independent and seem to require less care. For example, cats use a litter box, so the cat owner does not have to take her fuzzy kitty for cold winter strolls."
Abstract This paper takes a look at the short story written in 1843 by Edgar Allan Poe, titled "The Black Cat". The paper studies the narrator's behavior in a psychological framework in order to understand what prompted the narrator to commit a hideous crime. The paper further discusses how the narrator tries to manipulate the reader in an attempt to win his sympathy by alternating between narrative time and story time.
From the Paper "What is really interesting about the narrator is his subtle explanations of his behavior and the murder of his wife that we get from certain lines in the story without the narrator actually intending to reveal much. There is a small passage that gives away narrator's troubled psyche and his real reason for killing his wife. It occurs in the first part of the story when the narrator tells us: "From my infancy I was noted for the docility and humanity of my disposition. My tenderness of heart was even so conspicuous as to make me the jest of my companions" (850). "
Abstract This paper looks at how the literary French artiste' Colette, in a duet of short stories, "Gigi" and "The Cat", is able to explain some of the sexual nuances that make the sexes behave as they do; perhaps bringing some insight into our own present day relationships.
From the paper:
"Light vs. Darkness, Muslim vs. Christian, North vs. South, Football vs. Oprah, conflicts such as these rage on in our 21st century society. Of all conflicts the one furthest from resolution and the most highly contested seems to be the age-old battle of male sexuality vs. female sexuality. What do the opposing "dramatis personae" desire? How do they propose to attain it? Are the variances between the sexes really as vast as we"ve been led to believe" Through exquisite prose and imagery, the literary French artiste? Colette, in a duet of short stories Gigi and The Cat, is able to explain some of the sexual nuances that make the sexes behave as they do; perhaps bringing some insight into our own present day relationships ."
Abstract This paper studies the issue of power struggles between same and different genders through the work of Margaret Atwood's "Cat's Eye". The writer believes that power struggles can lead to emotional scarring for life. "Cat's Eye", authored by Margaret Atwood revolves around the character and the subsequent story of Elaine Risley, a painter by profession who returns to Toronto, the city of her childhood and youth, for an exhibit of her artworks. The story is written in retrospect with flashbacks to communicate the plot and themes.
From the Paper "Further it is narrated by the character of Elaine Risley who travels through time into her youth to tell the readers about her experiences. These experiences and their subsequent narration form the gist of the book, ranging from the politics of childhood, friendship, longing and betrayal in youth, and gender based struggle for power. However it is her inability to get rid of these memories and the experiences that lie within which show how women continue to get affected in the long run because of the nature of their relationships induced by culture."
Abstract This paper analyzes the behavior of Felis catus, the domestic cat. It begins with a brief natural history overview of the species. An ethogram is proposed and employed in both scan and focal sampling. The data is presented in graph and table form as well as text. The discussion section focuses on observations regarding cat behavior and a comparison of the two methods of sampling.
Abstract To understand the point of the humor in "Cat's Cradle" by Kurt Vonnegut, it is necessary to examine the point of the story itself. All of Vonnegut's books touch on broad social issues in a rather cartoonish way that serves a much darker and difficult purpose than what they appear to address. Like Breakfast of Champions, and Hocus Pocus, Cat's Cradle, is a humorous take on the organizations and social structures that the world holds as absolutes with the angle that such things do not exist - all is arbitrary. In this work, we find that there is a brilliant combination of lampoon (in the form of the polarized roles taken by the two friends who created the island nation dictatorial politics and religion, Bokononism; which are intended to oversimplify the arbitrariness of politics and religion) and of black humor (which is clearly marked in the violence, deprivation, and oppression that are used only to perpetrate the lie that is the society). Irony, perhaps, is the constant of every event and passage in this book. It is irony that makes us understand that the humor in the story is a rather caustic, disbelieving, and disenchanting look at our own and every other society.
Abstract This paper examines the novel, "Cat's Cradle", by Kurt Vonnegut, written at the height of the Cold War when most Americans lived in fear of a fiery nuclear apocalypse. Vonnegut presents a different but equally terrifying end, a world encased in ice. It discusses how one of the novel's themes is how human irresponsibility can contribute to this icy end. It examines how Vonnegut uses the major and minor characters in "Cat's Cradle" to reflect on the consequences of human irresponsibility and how, throughout the novel, Vonnegut presents characters whose irresponsibility helps bring much of life on earth to an end.
From the Paper "Despite his small stature, Newt is the most mature and well adjusted of the Hoenikker children. Still, Newt remains focused on the major disappointments of his childhood. The fact that he found neither cat nor cradle in the tangle of strings presented by his father causes Newt to believe in the lack of meaning in all human life. He thus becomes an easy target for the Russian spy Zinka, who pretends to love him in order to get to his share of the ice-nine. At the apocalypse, Newt remains unwilling to confront the horrors of the icy apocalypse that he helped to usher. Instead, he focuses on scavenging for paint, and on turning inward and coping through his art."
Abstract This paper explains that over 150 breeds of dogs and 300 breeds of cats are found in the United States and Canada. Many people love their pets even if they are not a pure-breed animal. In fact, many mixed dogs in American households are equal to the number found in Canada. Pets are, in most cases, our furry friends, but they are also often used in the lives of the owners to help them with different illnesses or work. The paper discusses the important role that dogs and cats play in the emotional and physical well being of their owners and how they are so highly valued in both Canada and the United States.
From the Paper "Ever have a dog or cat as a child? Remember all the love and affection the pet gave? Dogs and cats are special to many people. In fact, some people consider their pets as family members. Over 150 breeds of dogs and 300 breeds of cats are found in the United States and Canada. Whether it is the small white Maltese, brown and black Yorkie terrier, wolf-like Keeshunds, curly poodles, or other breeds of dogs, many people call and treat these dogs as if they were children. The same can be said of cat owners. Cat owners love their Turkish Angora..."
Abstract This paper reviews and discusses the short story, 'The Black Cat' by Edgar Allen Poe. According to the paper, Poe is one of the masters of horror fiction and his story, 'The Black Cat', is intended both to shock as well as educate. According to the paper, the central theme of this story is that the real nature of true horror and terror does not necessarily exist outside of ourselves or in the dark night, but can exist within the human heart.
From the Paper "Throughout the story there is a comparison between two aspects of human nature. These two aspects however are seen to exist within the same human being. On the one hand we see that the main character is originally a good and kind man but that his nature changes radically for the worse. While alcohol is suggested as the catalyst for this change, the story also makes it clear that the transformation of the man for good to bad is a result of something more than just drinking. "
Abstract This paper explains that Edgar Allan Poe, who is known for his "scary" stories such as "The Black Cat", uses descriptive narrative to get the reader intensely interested in what is going on, what the characters are doing and thinking, and what the climax will be in the story. The author reviews criticisms of "The Black Cat", such as that of William Henry Smith, who 159 years ago contended that Poe's reasoning was absurd and immoral. The paper relates that today Poe is considered to be a genius. The paper continues to describe the story.
From the Paper "So, what to do with the body? He places the corpse inside a wall by removing the bricks, putting his dead wife in there, and replacing the bricks. "Having procured mortar, sand, and hair, with every possible precaution, I prepared a plaster that could not possibly be distinguished from the old." This took some careful planning, but a madman can do these things, readers are to understand after working through "A Black Cat." After burying his wife, he now seeks out the cat that has been so much of a problem to him."
This paper analyzes Sigmund Freud's "The Interpretation of Dreams" and "Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality" and then applies these theories to a psychoanalytical reading of Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof".
Abstract This paper argues that Sigmund Freud's psychoanalytic concepts illustrated in "The Interpretation of Dreams" and "Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality", which examine the discipline of dreams and sexuality, their implications and inner mechanisms, are significant tools for interpreting human behavior and intrinsic to learning critical theory. The author points out that, nonetheless, these theories are not strictly scientific, are not free from the taint of Freud's gross generalizations and sometimes represent his chauvinistic mindset. The author then uses these tools to disect Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" and in doing so, aligns himself with both critics who stress the inherent nature of Freud's theories in Tennessee Williams' "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof" as well as with the critics who assert that examining the play from a strictly psychoanalytic perspective can limit and compartmentalize certain of its dramatic elements and themes. The paper includes many quotations.
From the Paper "The theories in "Interpretation" are linked to ideas presented in "Three Essays on the Theory of Sexuality", which is considered an equally prominent and definitive publication in Freud's career. Although "Three Essays" does not include case studies, it also closely examines the nature of sexuality, which begins in early childhood and, like the nature of dreams, is ridden with angst and hidden meanings. According to Freud, sexuality is the driving force for repression, neurosis, and hysteria. One exemplary concept is castration anxiety, an idea involving a deep-rooted fear originating from the phallic stage in young men."
Abstract "The Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats" by T.S. Elliot is a book full of poems which describes different types of cats and their various personalities using anthropomorphism. This paper discusses how it is a book that has a wide variety of techniques, using personifying vocabulary, specific feline terms along with invented words and names. It contends that the book is a wonderful cocktail of ingredients that have harmoniously blended in together.
From the Paper "The following up poem Growltiger's Last Stand finely shows how unrealistic ally T.S. Elliot can portray a cat. Growltiger is described as a cat "who travelled on a barge" . Despite this eccentric description of the cat, T.S. Elliot writes great deal on the personality of this cat and the interaction he has with his travelling environment. As said in the poem, "[...] he was the roughest cat that ever roamed at large", "The Persian and the Siamese regarded him with fear." T.S. Elliot also shows the "sentimental side" of Growltiger, this strengthens the portrayal of the human side which cats have. This deeper emotional side of a cat seems to only be shown in this poem whereas in other poems, the description is concentrated more on the acts, the observable behavior and traits and also the more, what I can call, shallow emotions. "
