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Caitlin Murphy
Professor Lewis
Engl 115
11 December, 2015
The Cat Wears the Hat
Haste makes waste, so I rarely hurry. But if a ferret were about to dart up my dress, I'd
run. This well known quote from Lewis Carrolls Alices Adventure in Wonderland projects a
theme throughout the novel. This statement is told to the protagonist Alice by the Cheshire Cat
character in the book and it holds a great level of significance and meaning in the novel. This
quote is important in literature not only for its appropriate connection to the plot, but because it is
spoken by a non-human character, a cat. Cats have been of constant use within popular literature
throughout the centuries and have functioned as many characters and literary devices. One
prominent example of the use of a feline in a novel is the black cat character in Neil Gaimans
novella, Coraline. The protagonist Coraline is a young girl who has recently moved to a new
house in a new town with her somewhat negligent and frequently preoccupied parents. As a
result of her living situation, age, relationship with her parents, and the world around her,
Coraline manifests a strong imagination. Within this manifestation, one character in particular
reflects her inner mental state and search for personal identity, the cat. Amidst her quest to find
herself, Coraline confides in the cat, the only source of trust in her manifested world. The cat
acts as a notable literary function within the book by projecting Coralines identity, lending hints
to her throughout the story, and providing general forward motion to the plot.
Throughout the text, the cats appearance is brought forth as a projection of Coralines
self-identity. In the beginning of the novella, as Coraline is meeting her new neighbors, each and

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every one calls her Caroline rather than Coraline, which frustrates her very much. As Coraline is
meeting the cat for the first time in the other world, she asks him for his name and he replies,
Now you people have names. Thats because you dont know who you are. We know who we
are, so we dont need names (Gaiman 35). This excerpt from the text is an example of the cat
as a projection of Coralines identity struggle. When the cat tells Coraline that he, along with
other cats, doesnt have a name, she is puzzled and dissatisfied. This interaction shows the
audience how important Coralines name is to her because she struggles with an identity crisis
stemmed from those around her mispronouncing her name. Contradictory to the cat, she values
her own name and therefore, is perplexed when she learns that the cat doesnt have one. In other
words, the cats role in this scene acts as a depiction of Coralines inner monologue and her
struggle to find self-identity.
The use of cats as symbols of personal identity has not only been present within
Gaimans writing, but within countless other sources of literature. In an academic journal article,
Ronald A. Champagne reviews the poem Les Chats by Charles Baudelaire, where cats are used
as representation of identity. Champagne relates the Greek concept of otherness, that
sometimes was portrayed as an interpretive conscious, to cats in order to illustrate their
common ability to be used as a reflection of self-identity. Through his use of poetic evidence,
Champagne suggests that cats can be used as this literary device universally, and that they have
been since the time of the ancient Greeks.
Another role the cat in Coraline takes on is that of an aid, lending hints to Coraline
throughout her journey. While Coraline is exploring her dream world, she is constantly learning
about her other Mother, Father, and Friends. Eventually, she comes across an obstacle in which
she must rescue her real parents and the lost souls of the trapped children in the other world,

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from the other mother. Throughout her journey to accomplish these tasks Coraline turns to the
cat and in is offered help in return. One example of the cats help is found within the following
scene:
Do you know where my Mummy and Daddy are? The cat blinked at her, slowly. Is
that a yes? The cat blinked again. Coraline decided that that was indeed a yes. Will
you take me to them? The cat stared at her. Then it walked out into the hall. She
followed it Coraline turned on the light in the hall.... reflected in the mirror were her
parents Gaiman 50-51.
This scene in the novella illustrates an instance in which the cat is acting as a higher power and
giving Coraline unspoken hints concerning the whereabouts of her parents. She plainly asks and
the cat responds by leading her to her parents. This scene is also an example of the cats character
type, a confidante. According to English Professor Mary Fonseca at Santa Monica College, a
confidante character is one, whom the protagonist or some other major character confides (3).
This displays another aspect of the cat developed within the text: its relationship to the
protagonist Coraline. Coraline looks to the cat for guidance and in turn receives help that affects
the stories ending.
An additional example of the hinting in the book is shown when Coraline is exploring
outside of the other house. Small world, said Coraline. Its big enough for her, said the cat.
Spiders webs only have to be large enough to catch flies, (Gaiman 73). This sequence of
dialogue shows the cat feeding Coraline information about the other mother that foreshadows the
novel, though Coraline is not aware. With this information, Coraline later pieces events together
to discover the true motive of the other mother. This event provides Coraline with a huge hint,

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that inevitably saves Coraline in the end, and transitions into the last function of the cat in
Coraline, a plot device.
The last and maybe the most prominent literary device of the cats character is its creation
of forward motion in the plot. Towards the end of the novella Coraline is close to defeating the
other mother and saving her parents and the lost childrens souls. After fighting off a rat soldier
for the last marble, she retrieves it and saves the last soul. Abruptly:
She opened her eyes and saw the rat. It was lying on the brick path at the
bottom of the stairs with a surprised look on its face Beside the decapitated rat, a smug
expression on its face, was the black cat I think I mentioned once...that I dont like
rats at the best of times Gaiman 121.
This scene showed that cats ability, as a character, to advance the plot in a positive way for
Coralines character. By killing the rat, the cat allowed Coraline to save the last childs soul.
Elizabeth A. Dunn reviewed the role of cats in literature and argues that, One of the most wellknown cat stories is Charles Perraults Puss in Boots Here the cat fulfills both the traditional
trickster and animal helper roles, as he uses his cunning and manipulative nature to ensure his
masters success, (14). She outlines one of the traditional roles of cats in literature as a helper,
which we see extensively throughout Coraline, like when the cat kills the rat, which also
ensure(s) his masters success. By killing the rat, the cat is helping Coraline to conquer the
other mother succeed in the novel.
Generally speaking, the character of the black cat played a very important role in Neil
Gaimans Coraline novella. The cat acted as a guardian, helper, and assistant by granting hints to
Coraline. He provided action to engage the plot and move it forward by contributing to the
defeat against the other mother. He acted as a view into the mind of the protagonist by

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questioning her identity and integrity. Gaimans Coraline was just another amazing example of
how cats in literature continue to prove to be extremely powerful literary devices, and are never
too fond of mice.

Works Cited
Champagne, Roland A. "The Devil's Advocate: Baudelaire's Cat as the Daimon of Erotic
Mysticism in Les Fleurs Du Mal." " by Champagne, Roland A. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Oct.
2015.
Dunn, Elizabeth A. "Talking Animals: A Literature Review of Anthropomorphism in Children's
Books." Cdr.lib.unc.edu. N.p., May 2011. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.
Fonseca, Mary. "Some Literary Terms Commonly Used." (n.d.): n. pag. Smc.edu. Santa Monica
College. Web. 27 Oct. 2015.

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Gaiman, Neil. Coraline. New York: HarperCollins, 2002. Print.