The White Cat | Essay

Indledning
The notion of growing old can for many be a sign of hopelessness as if you have nothing left to give.

If you add the perceptions of lack of energy, social withdrawal and in some cases, illness the fact that you are getting old can be a traumatic realization for some. Our attitude towards aging is very important in how we cope and enjoy the passing years.

This is also the case in the short story “The White Cat” by Jim Brannin where we from Hattie’s perspective hear at the beginning of the story, growing old is hard.

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Uddrag
At the end of the story she does not see the cats outside anymore as she is waiting for them because she usually eats her breakfast with them.

She overhears her niece talking about that the cats had been taken by the RSPCA. She begins to cry although she pulls herself together, draws the curtains back all the way, and decides to address the letter to her son Georgie.

The short story “The White Cat” takes place in the U.K. We know that because of the mention of the RSPCA which is an animal shelter organization in England.

As far as the physical setting we know that it is in Hattie’s room on the upper floor. We feel that it is a very limited environment as we hear that Hattie only pulls back a corner of her curtains limiting what she can really see.

The cats are an important part of her so when they are taken away, and she pulls the curtains all the way back, she is stunned about what she can see.

This suggest that the psychical setting mirrors her emotions because she it broadens Hattie’s perspective, and it opens the world for her.

The cats are a central element in the text. From line 39-73 Hattie talks about the cats in reference to her family and compares them a lot.