Student Question
How does the author maintain reader attention in "The Catbird Seat"?
Quick answer:
The author maintains reader attention through suspense, humor, and vivid character descriptions. By initially withholding Mr. Martin's full plan to eliminate Mrs. Barrows, Thurber creates intrigue. The comedic elements, such as Mr. Martin's unexpected behavior and exaggerated claims, add levity. The detailed portrayal of Mrs. Barrows' irritating mannerisms helps readers empathize with Mr. Martin's frustrations. The twist ending, where Mrs. Barrows is removed instead of Mr. Martin, surprises and satisfies the audience.
James Thurber's Catbird Seat, is a clever short story. The author starts out with a mystery of sorts. Mr. Martin is recalling the events that took place one week ago, when he got rid of Mrs. Barrows. Mrs. Barrows has made life at F&S miserable for the past couple of years.
Mr. Martin is not the kind of man anyone would think could do something like killing someone. The story is almost a comedy, in the way Mr. Martin is and the ideas he comes up with. The author holds our attention, by including interesting characters, a great play on words and a funny story on revenge. He walks us through the mind of someone who has just had enough. Mr. Martin could be any of us. The author makes the frustration and fear of losing his job, you can see why Mr. Martin's actions are what they are....
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The story is short and simple and to the point, yet it is a fun read. James Thurber makes you see the whole situation clearly. He keeps the reader wanting to know what happens next and what the end is going to be.
James Thurber doesn't disappoint the reader. Your attention is kept the entire time. You can laugh at Mr. Martin's descriptions and you can feel his pain in the situation at work. By using humor and great descriptions, the author has done his job, in keeping the reader wanting more.
How does "The Catbird Seat" structure create tension and heighten reader interest?
The story shows a very frustrated and frazzled Mr. Martin who wants to get rid of Mrs. Barrows. At first, he actually contemplates killing her. The reader is unaware, in fact, that he is not still going with that plan when he goes to her apartment. The structure of not letting the reader in on all the details of the plan are part of what keep the reader interested. Also, Thurber writes with great detail giving the reader a vivid description of Mrs. Barrow's voice and mannerisms so that the reader finds them as detestable as does Mr. Martin. The tension builds when Mr. Martin goes to Mrs. Barrow's apartment and makes outrageous and preposterous claims about drug use and such. It's clear that this gives Mrs. Barrows all she needs to get rid of him. She simply has to report his behavior to the boss which she does the next morning at work. The reader expects Mr. Martin to be fired immediately, but he simply denies everything and since he is such a creature of habit and he is so meek and mild-mannered, no one believes anything she says. She is the one that gets removed from the office, not Mr. Martin, thus allowing him the victory he sought.