"The Naming of Cats" is a playful and thought-provoking poem by T.S. Eliot from his collection, "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats", which is his guide to the unique rules and nature of feline nomenclature.
In this whimsical poem, Eliot......
Renews every month. Cancel anytime
Chatterbot AI gives you 100% accurate answers to your questions in an instant.
Why does the poet say that the reader may think he is crazy?
The poet suggests that the reader might think he's crazy because he declares that a cat must have three different names, not just one, as per the usual practice. This might seem particularly absurd or eccentric to the reader, thus leading them to initially think of the poet as 'mad'.
Powered by Chatterbot AI
What is the first type of name that a cat should have?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowWhat is the second type of name that a cat should have?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowHow many female names (of the first type) does the poet suggest?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowWhich fancier names does the poet suggest?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowIn what way will a cat be able to behave if he is given a name that is particular?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowWhat is the third type of name that a cat must have? How is it different from the other two types?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowWhen a cat is in ‘profound meditation’, what is it thinking about?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowWhy do you think the ‘particular’ names suggested for a cat may ‘never belong to more than one cat’? Can you suggest other such names?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowWhat do you think cats think about when they are not asleep?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowWork with a partner and think of five names to add to each of the groups of names already suggested by the poet. Compare your lists.
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowAll of them sensible everyday names.
i. What are some of these names?
ii. When are these names used?
iii. Are there any other names by which a cat might be called? How are they different from these names?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowBut about and beyond there’s still one name left over ……
i. Above and beyond what?
ii. What is the name left over?
iii. How does a cat show it is thinking about his name?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowThe Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,
It isn’t just one of your holiday games;
You may think at first I’m as mad as a hatter
When I tell you, a cat must have THREE DIFFERENT NAMES.
First of all, there’s the name that the family use daily,
Such as Peter, Augustus, Alonzo, or James,
Such as Victor or Jonathan, George or Bill Bailey—
All of them sensible everyday names.
1. What does the poem suggest about the complexity of the process of naming a cat, and how does that serve as a commentary on the individuality of cats?
2. Why does the speaker compare himself to a “mad hatter” when explaining the requirement of having three different names for a cat?
3. According to the poem, what purpose does the first name (the name used daily) serve in a cat’s life?
4. Why does the poet refer to the ‘everyday’ names as ‘sensible’? What does this tell us about the poet’s perspective on naming cats?
This stanza suggests that naming a cat goes beyond the simple process of assigning an identity. It’s more about acknowledging the complexity and unique individuality of the feline creature. This can also be interpreted as a commentary on the personality and individuality of cats and how they differ significantly from each other.
The speaker invokes the “mad hatter” comparison to illustrate the absurdity or eccentricity someone might assume about the idea to give a cat three different names. This statement successfully captures the reader’s attention and amplifies the intrigue about the complexity of naming a cat.
According to this poem, the first name, the everyday name, plays the role of a practical, workaday identifier. It’s the name that helps integrate the cat into the daily routines of the family and makes the cat part of the simple everyday human world.
The poet likely refers to the ‘everyday’ names as ‘sensible’ as these are common human names that can be easily recognized, remembered and used in ordinary, daily-life interactions. The term ‘sensible’ here likely pertains to practicality and ease of use. It also signals that cats, with their everyday names, are an intrinsic part of the human world - part of everyday life and existence.
Powered by Chatterbot AI
There are fancier names if you think they sound sweeter,
Some for the gentlemen, some for the dames:
Such as Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter—
But all of them sensible everyday names.
1. What does the poet mean by “fancier names”?
2. Explain the symbolism behind using names like “Plato, Admetus, Electra, Demeter” for cats.
3. Why does the author suggest that these fancy names are still “sensible everyday names”?
4. What is the underlying tone and message the poet is trying to convey through this stanza, and how does it reflect the overall theme of the poem?
Join English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowJoin English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowJoin English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowJoin English Chatterbox to access detailed and curated answers, and score higher than you ever have in your exams.
Sign up nowThomas Stearns Eliot, better known as T. S. Eliot, was born in 1888 in St. Louis, Missouri. He is one of the most significant poets of the 20th century, making substantial contributions to modernist poetry. Eliot moved to England in 1914 and became a British citizen in 1927. His major works include "The Waste Land," "The Hollow Men," "Ash Wednesday," and "Four Quartets." He was known for his ability to integrate multiple distinct voices, languages, literary allusions and historic references into his poetic narrative. Eliot was also a successful playwright, known for works like "Murder in the Cathedral" and "The Cocktail Party." His "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats," which includes the piece "The Naming of Cats," was the basis for the hit musical "Cats." His significant contributions to literature were recognized in 1948 when he was awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature. T.S. Eliot died in 1965.
Sign up to unlock About the Poet and everything else
Unlock now 🔓"The Naming of Cats" is a playful and thought-provoking poem by T.S. Eliot from his collection, "Old Possum's Book of Practical Cats", which is his guide to the unique rules and nature of feline nomenclature.
In this whimsical poem, Eliot......
1. Identity and Personification:
Eliot humanizes the cats by giving them human names and attitudes, which are peculiar to each one. The cats have regular, fanciful, and mysterious names that stand for their external, social, and secretive selves, respectively. This theme explores........
Sign up to unlock Themes and everything else
Unlock now 🔓1. Cats: The cats themselves symbolize individuals in society. Each cat with its three different names represents the different aspects of an individual's identity - the public, the personal, and the deeply private.
2. Names: The names in the poem stand for identities. The everyday names represent the common, public identity of individuals, the fancier........
Sign up to unlock Plot and everything else
Unlock now 🔓1. Rhyme Scheme: T.S. Eliot uses an ABAB rhyme scheme in the poem to create a rhythmic flow and a playful tone.
2. Repetition: The phrase "the thought, of the thought, of the thought......
Sign up to unlock Poetic Devices and everything else
Unlock now 🔓