The Cat in the Hat Lines 273-293 Summary

Our Hero!

  • You were starting to think the Cat could be a bad influence on your kids, weren't you? 
  • Don't worry, the Cat also demonstrates one of the most important rules of life: if you have a good time, implement an emergency clean-up strategy and you won't get in trouble.
  • The Cat comes back, riding his emergency cleaning strategy: a red tractoresque vehicle.
  • (This motor vehicle is classic Seuss. It has little holes in the sides, from which gloved hands protrude, cleaning everything up. It's what Shmoop uses to clean up after big parties, too.)
  • To the kids' delight, the Cat says, "Have no fear of this mess […] I always pick up all my playthings" (276-278). 
  • See? The Cat is a good role model after all. Even the fish looks happy.
  • Everything is put neatly back, exactly as it was in the pre-Cat era. 
  • Exeunt Cat.