Cat's Eye Discussion Questions

Hi Everyone!

Looking forward to having you all over tomorrow evening to discuss 'Cat's Eye' by Margaret Atwood.

Here are my discussion questions:

1. What does Margaret Atwood's novel Cat's Eye say about the nature of childhood and the development of adolescent friendships? Is there a gender influenced difference in cruelty between boys as opposed to cruelty as expressed by girls? At what point does adolescent meanness become pathological?

2. What does the way that the girls play with each other tell us about them and how they are conditioned by their society? Has this changed since Elaine’s generation was adolescent, or does much the same hold true today? How does the way that Elaine plays with her brother differ from the way she plays with girls? How does bullying differ between boys and girls?

3. Why do you think Elaine returns to Toronto and what does she hope to accomplish? Was the trip necessary? If so, Why? What role does this return play in the structure of the novel?

4. Elaine is haunted by Cordelia, her "best friend" and the tormentor of her childhood. All predators must have a motive. What benefit did Cordelia receive out of tormenting Elaine? What weakness in Elaine made her particularly vulnerable to Cordelia? Why did she continue to play such an importance in Elaine's adult life?

5. Why does Elaine take up with Cordelia again in high school? How would you describe her behaviour towards Cordelia at this point? Do you think she has reason to feel guilty about the last time she saw Cordelia? How do you think she feels about Cordelia at the end of the book?

6. Why do you think Elaine became an artist? What is the significance that she did so? Do artists use life experiences in ways that non artists do not?

7. When Elaine and her mother are going through the family belongings in the attic, Elaine finds her cat’s eye marble — ‘I look into it, and see my life entire’ (page 398). What does she mean by this? What is the significance of the cat’s eye?

See you tomorrow!

Viv