The Cat Who Thought She Was a Dog, and the Dog

“The Cat Who Thought She Was a Dog, and the Dog Who Thought He Was a Cat”

By: Isaac Bashevis Singer

Isaac Bashevis Singer 1902-1991 Singer grew up in Poland and spent much time with his father, a Jewish rabbi. As a rabbi, his father was often called upon to settle disputes between members of the synagogue.

Singer listened in the “court” of his father, and he learned from the wisdom his father shared with others. Throughout his writing, Singer often conveys these messages with his readers.

Isaac Bashevis Singer

Influence of Parents Singer’s father probably did not allow many “vanities” in the household, such as mirrors.

How would not having a mirror affect you? Would it change the way you felt about yourself?

Vocabulary for Story Peasant:

One who is very poor, one who lives without luxuries

Peddler:

A person who travels from place to place selling items

Bedazzled: Doodads/Trinkets:

Gulden/Groshen:

Enchanted by, impressed with Small items of little value; things such as costume jewelry

A form of money

Vanity:

Obsessed with one’s appearance; pride in one’s looks

Poverty:

The condition of being extremely poor

Setting Where does the story take place?

How would you describe the home of the Skibas?

Character Description What is Jan Skiba like as a person? How do we know?

Conflict Conflict is the struggle between two opposing forces. In this story, we are looking at two types of conflict, Man Vs. Man and Man vs. Self. Man vs. Man: One or more persons against one or more persons. This could be a verbal or physical fight.

Man vs. Self: This is internal conflict; a person’s conflict with their self, such as a person vs. their fears, insecurities, or internal struggles.

Conflict Give an example of man vs. man conflict from the story.

Give two examples of man vs. self conflict from the story.

Moral The moral of a story is a lesson that the author wants us to learn.

Examples of morals of stories: Look before you leap. Be careful what you wish for. Treat others as you wish to be treated. Can you think of a moral that would fit for the story we just read?

Themes vs. Morals It can be hard to tell the difference between a theme or a moral of a story. In general, a theme expresses the overall idea of the story. Stories can have more than one theme. The moral of a story is generally expressed as a lesson learned or a piece of advice.

Character Actions Singer exaggerates what the characters do to improve their looks. He does this to create humor, and show us how silly it is to focus solely on our appearance. What are some silly ways the characters try to improve their looks?

Thematic Focus What understanding of themselves do the characters lose when they discover their reflections in the mirror?

Check Your Comprehension 1. Briefly describe the Skiba’s house and way of life. 2. What is special about their cat and dog? 3. List the events leading up to the purchase of the mirror by the Skibas.

Check Your Comprehension 4. What problems does the mirror create for the human and animal characters? 5. How does Jan Skiba solve these problems?

Critical Thinking 1. What is similar about all the goods that the peddler shows Marianna? 2. In what way does the mirror, a strange new object, cause the humans and animals to become strangers to themselves?

Critical Thinking 3. Why are the characters’ reactions to the mirror both funny and sad? 4. Why does the simple fact that Skiba has removed the mirror have such a dramatic effect on the family? 5. Could a dog think it’s a cat and a cat think it’s a dog? Why or why not? 6. Would it be possible for our society to do without mirrors? Explain.

Connection to Real Life How do people try to change or improve their looks?

Connection to Real Life How do people try to change or improve their looks? Hair Dye

Plastic Surgery

Piercings

Makeup Jewelry

Tattoos

Clothing Teeth Whitening

Shoes that add height Sun Tanning Booths

“Permanent” Makeup