The Catbird Seat

by James Thurber

Start Free Trial

Editor's Choice

Does "The Catbird Seat" depict conflicts of man vs man and man vs society?

Quick answer:

"The Catbird Seat" is a war story between Mr. Martin and Ulgine Barrows, with the conflict focused on the filing department of Mr. Martin's office.

Expert Answers

An illustration of the letter 'A' in a speech bubbles

As the other answers have indicated, the conflict in "The Catbird Seat" is a simple, straightforward one of man against man. The fact that this happens to be a case of man against woman does not make it any different. Man against man can be man against man, man against woman, woman against woman, boy against boy, boy against girl, girl against girl, and so on. The "MacGuffin," or "bone of contention," in James Thurber's "The Catbird Seat" is Mr. Martin's filing department. Martin is trying to protect it; Ulgine Barrows is threatening to wreck it. This explains Martin's motivation. Martin is the protagonist. His motivation to save his beloved filing department drives the story.

The section titled "Themes" in the eNotes study guide for "The Catbird Seat" (see reference link below) is devoted entirely to the conflict between Mr. Martin and Ulgine Barrows as an...

Unlock
This Answer Now

Start your 48-hour free trial and get ahead in class. Boost your grades with access to expert answers and top-tier study guides. Thousands of students are already mastering their assignments—don't miss out. Cancel anytime.

Get 48 Hours Free Access

example of James Thurber's favorite theme of the battle of the sexes.

The well-known James Thurber drawings of women in the act of seducing, menacing, attacking, or intimidating men are matched in his short stories by accounts of the ongoing war between the sexes.

Other Thurber stories based on a conflict between man and woman include "The Unicorn in the Garden" and "A Couple of Hamburgers." Thurber's best collection of his works, The Thurber Carnival, contains a series of cartoons titled The War Between Men and Women, in which the conflict between man and woman breaks out into open warfare between organized armies of men and women reminiscent of the battles of the Civil War.

Approved by eNotes Editorial