Thinking Critically about "No Cats in America?"
Patrick Jose lets the reader infer his essay's significance from the details of the narrative and from their connection to the framing story of the fictional mice and cats.
1. How do the settings help you understand Jose's theme at different points the narrative?
2. What would you say is the narrative's climax or pivotal moment?
3. Jose's title, first paragraph, and last paragraph are about children's features the Mousekewitz's song proclaiming that there are no cats in America. How does the "no cats" image function both as part the underlying tension of this narrative and as a symbolic vehicle for conveying the theme of Jose's essay? What is the insight that Jose has achieved at the end?
4. During a rough draft workshop, Jose asked his peer reviewers whether he should retain his description of parties in the Philippines, which he thought was perhaps unconnected to the rest of the narrative. His classmates urged him to keep those details. Do you agree with their advice? Why?
5. For Filipinos and Filipinas, the specific names of foods and party games would be rich examples of memory-soaked words. For other readers, however, these names are foreign and strange. Do you agree with Jose's decision to use these specific ethnic names? Why?