The Catbird Seat

Use these questions or activities to help gauge students’ familiarity with and spark their interest in the context of the work, giving them an entry point into the text itself.

Short Answer

“The Catbird Seat” was published in 1942. What do you know about women in the workplace at that time? Compare and contrast the presence of women in the workplace in the early 1940s with the present day. What changes have taken place since James Thurber’s short story was published?

Teaching Suggestion: Depending on students’ initial responses, you may want to allow them time to research using the links below. You may also want to prompt them with specific questions such as, “When American men left for World War II in 1942, who filled their positions in factories and businesses?” and “What may have happened when those men returned home after the war?” Discussing this period of American history will prepare students for the historical context of “The Catbird Seat” and relates to the themes The Battle of the Sexes and Routine and Efficiency as Values.

• This video and the article that follows it highlight the changes that took place in the American workplace during and after World War II in the 1940s. The video shows the adjustments that male supervisors thought they had to make once women entered factories as workers, the divide between men and women in the workplace, and the discrimination and patronizing attitudes women faced from men. The article provides statistics on the changes in the percentage of women in the workplace throughout the 1940s.
• This 15-photo slideshow depicts “Real-Life Rosie the Riveters” at work, and each photo includes brief descriptions of the women and their tasks.

Short Activity

In addition to being a writer, Thurber was a well-known cartoonist. His cartoons revolve around many of the same themes that are present in his writings, including “The Catbird Seat.” View some of Thurber’s cartoons in this gallery, and identify three themes or commonalities that multiple drawings share. Especially consider Thurber’s depictions of men and women, and what he may be suggesting about each.

Teaching Suggestion: You may want to make the task briefer by choosing a handful of drawings for students to consider. Thurber’s cartoons and short stories often depicted character types such as the angry wife, the timid husband, and the man who escapes the confusion of the world through reverie. These character types relate to the short story’s themes of The Battle of the Sexes and Delusion and Psychological Disturbance. Animals also appear frequently in his cartoons, although no animals appear in “The Catbird Seat,” other than those suggested by the titular idiom.

• This encyclopedia entry contains information about Thurber’s life and career, including insights into common themes across his writings and cartoons.
• This Library of America interview with Thurber expert Michael J. Rosen celebrates and analyzes Thurber’s work as a cartoonist.