Cat in the Rain

The cat represents the unarticulated desire for connection and caretaking. She is nearly desperate to bring the cat in from the rain. When she can’t find it, all her unmet needs rise to the surface, and she tries to explain them to George in terms of material things she wishes she had. She had imagined petting the cat while it purred in her lap because she has no other outlet for her need to be nurturing. In return, the cat’s purr would validate and acknowledge her nurturing.

When the wife lists things she would like to change, growing out her short haircut is important to her. She wants to look more feminine, but George says he likes her hair. Because he likes it, she feels a lack of agency in how she presents herself to the world. Her hair symbolizes her desire for femininity, change, and agency in her relationship.