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On Cats: Chapter 9

On Cats: Chapter 9. By: Annie O’Brien, Mattison Pierce, and Kimberly Sipek. Doris Lessing . Born in Persia (modern day Iran) on October 22, 1919 Raised in a strict household Mother was encouraging of traditional feminine roles Dropped out of her all girls school at 13

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On Cats: Chapter 9

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  1. On Cats: Chapter 9 By: Annie O’Brien, Mattison Pierce, and Kimberly Sipek

  2. Doris Lessing • Born in Persia (modern day Iran) on October 22, 1919 • Raised in a strict household • Mother was encouraging of traditional feminine roles • Dropped out of her all girls school at 13 • Believed she was freer than most people because she became a writer

  3. Chapter Summary • The cats return from the country • Black cat focuses on being a mother • Teaches them basic skills • Doris wonders what black cat will be like towards kittens after she is “doctored” • She then recalls a story of a feral cat and her kittens

  4. Writing Style • The details allow for people who are not interested or don’t know much about cats to become engaged in the reading • Relies heavily on visually descriptive details

  5. Language • “The long dry season had flattened and thinned the grass, cauterized the bushes.” (159) • Uses words one would not typically associate with these things • Still makes sense and allows for it to be read casually

  6. Language • “Ten days later, a minute scarp with soft hazy eyes, its mouth opening in a hiss of brave defiance at the enormous menace bending over it.” (157) • Very visually descriptive • Illustrates how she views every movement of the cat as something with analytical potential

  7. Language • “Black cat grew heavy and slept a great deal. Grey cat was boss cat again, did her tricks, displayed herself.” (152) • Shows the hierarchy of the cats • Short sentences reiterate the idea that these events are mundane • Shows she is casually watching them • Lacks emotion despite knowing the cats personalities in depth

  8. Anthropomorphizing • Calls the grey cat “a neurotic person” when whining in the car • observes the black cat’s motherly traits and lack of appetite and associates them as human traits • Refers to the grey cat as a “spinster” • Grey cat chased away the male cats • Feeds into the idea of the man-hating spinster • Parallels the cats movements and personalities with that of humans, therefore seeing them as equals • Humans are immediately involved after kittens are born • “But no, a human hand touches it, the human smell envelops it, a human voice reassures it.” (157)

  9. Emotion • Its scenic and engaging but lacks emotional attachment and interest • Lessing’s emotions are made clear but not made relatable to the reader • Example: When she expresses guilt about having to spay black cat and whether or not she even has the right to do so

  10. Questions • Even if you aren't a cat person, did the book interest you to keep reading? Why or why not? • Did the books writing style bring attention to things in cats personalities that you didn’t notice before? What did this story have in common with Devin Johnston’s Crows? • Is Doris Lessing’s anthropomorphizing of her cats justified because of her relationship with them? Why or why not?

  11. Works Cited • http://www.dorislessing.org/biography.html • Lessing, Doris May. On Cats. London: Flamingo, 2002. Print.

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