Cat in the Rain is a short story by American author Ernest Hemingway which was first published in 1925 The story is set in an Italian hotel and revolves around a nameless American couple and their interactions with the other guests, the weather and a cat.
The story is a simple and straightforward narrative which begins when the American wife sees a cat crouched in the rain outside the hotel. She expresses a desire to go outside and rescue the animal, but her husband is concerned about the rain and suggests that it is a wild cat. Nonetheless, the woman persists in her desire and her husband relents, allowing her to go out and bring the cat inside.
However, after the cat is brought inside, the couple realize that it isn't really a wildcat; it's the hotel's cat. As the story progresses, it becomes clear that the woman is hoping to have something to fill the emotional void that exists in their relationship. She desires the cat as an emotional tether to the outside world—a symbol of love and security in a lonely environment.
The end of the story is highly ambiguous. The reader is not sure what happens to the cat after it is brought inside, or even if the woman is satisfied with her actions. The story leaves it open to interpretation.
The best examples of Cat in the Rain include:
1) “Cat in the Rain” by Katherine Mansfield: This is a short story set in a European city, in which the protagonist is a New Zealand woman who sees a cat in the rain and is determined to bring it inside the hotel. The story explores themes of companionship and loneliness in a marriage.
2) “The Cat in the Rain” by John Updike: This is another story which looks at a marriage from a different perspective. Set in an American hotel in Italy, two different couples are compared and contrasted – one which is secure and content, and another which is lonely and disconnected.
3) “A Cat in a Tree in the Rain” by Maria Irene Fornes: This play looks at a single parent’s struggle to keep her family together. Filled with symbolism and dream-like imagery, the play explores themes of love and loss, as the protagonist is forced to choose between her family and her career.
4) “The Cat From The Rain Outside” by Jean-Paul Sartre: This short story is set in an Italian hotel and revolves around an American couple who struggles with their marriage. The story explores the idea of social isolation and the emptiness of modern life.
5) “A Cat in the Rain” by C.M. Kornbluth: Set in a modern metropolis, the story examines the idea of loneliness and human connection in the context of the city. Through exploring the relationship between the protagonist and a stray cat, the story highlights how the connection between people can be just as important as the connection between animals.