The Cat in the Rain by Ernest Hemingway is a story of an American couple in Italy. Hemingway portrays this couple as having differences of priorities and also a difference in the amount of attention they give to one another. This story takes place over a short few hours, and even though we only know these characters for a brief period of time, we can predict the type of relationship they have. Most likely if we observed George and his wife a week or so from this day, their conversation would not be about a cat, but the underlying causes would be very similar.
             George and his wife (also known as the American girl) are in their hotel room in Italy. George seems very content and comfortable sitting on the bed reading. His wife on the other hand gives us the idea that she is very bored, not only in the hotel room, but with their relationship, and herself, her physical appearance especially. Wanting to be anywhere besides stuck in a hotel room do to the rain, the American girl looks out the window. Outside there is the sea, a public garden, and a war monument. Out in the garden we are also told that there are palm trees and benches for visitors to sit on. The Italians also liked to come and visit this garden because of the bronze war monument it possessed. George's wife notices a cat hiding from the rain under one of the tables in the garden. Immediately she tells George that she wants to go down and rescue the cat.
             George does not think that this is an odd request coming from his wife. In fact, he offers to go and get the cat for her, predictably knowing that she would only want to go and get it for herself. Indeed, the American girl wants to go and get this animal all by herself. Her husband not even flinching has nothing to say except for, "Don't get wet."
             We can see from this conversation that George is used to his wife's unusualiaty and quite bothersome adventures. George also offers h...