Cat in the Rain Isolation Quotes

How we cite our quotes: (Paragraph)

Quote #1

There were only two Americans stopping at the hotel. (1)

"Only" is a pretty lonely word. It relates a feeling of solitude and seclusion, and it just so happens to be the third word in this story. Right off the bat, we get a sense of the isolation surrounding this unhappy couple.

Quote #2

Outside right under their window a cat was crouched under one of the dripping green tables. (2)

What a pitiful, pitiful image. Whether you like cats or not, it's a little hard not to feel bad for this little one. This scene is crucial to the story because it becomes the image into which all the wife's feelings of isolation are centered. It all boils down to this little image of the isolated, drippy cat. Poor thing—we definitely want to rescue it too.

Quote #3

When she talked English the maid's face tightened. (21)

This sentence is a great example of the isolating effect of language. While the wife is the most blatantly isolated character in the story, the maid's inability to join in the wife's conversation is equally potent. Parli Italiano?