The Catbird Seat

"The Catbird Seat" (1942) is a short story by James Thurber. The story first appeared in The New Yorker on November 14, 1942. The story also appeared in the 1945 short story collection The Thurber Carnival.

"The Catbird Seat"
AuthorJames Thurber
CountryUnited States
LanguageEnglish
Genre(s)short story
Published inThe New Yorker, The Thurber Carnival
Publication typeMagazine
PublisherHarcourt, Brace and Company
Media typePrint (Periodical, Hardback)
Publication date1942 (magazine), 1945 (book)

Synopsis

Mr. Martin, a precise, dedicated vice free employee of F&S -whose habits were once publicly praised by Mr. Fitweiler - "The F at F&S" - is being bullied by Mrs. Ulgine Barrows. An unruly, opportunistic, baseball, Dodger's fan and slang user (tearing up the pea patch etc). Ultimately, she wants to re-organize his precious filing department; changes he can't bear and copes with it by plotting a way to "rub out" Mrs. Barrows; then on second thought he decides to make it seem like she has lost her mind. Arguably one of his funniest short stories.

Analysis

The story explores and exploits the myth of the submissive man at the mercy of the dominating woman.[1]

According to the Oxford English Dictionary,[2] the first recorded usage of the phrase catbird seat occurred in this story,"[3] which features a character, Mrs. Barrows, who likes to use the phrase. Another character, Joey Hart, explains that Mrs. Barrows must have picked up the expression from Red Barber, the baseball broadcaster, and that to Barber "sitting in the catbird seat" meant "'sitting pretty,' like a batter with three balls and no strikes on him."

Film

The 1960 movie The Battle of the Sexes is based on the short story.[4]

See also

References
  1. Karen Bernardo. "An Analysis of James Thurber's "The Catbird Seat"". Storybites. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
  2. OED.com, Oxford English Dictionary. Accessed 1 September 2019.
  3. Thurber, J.G., The Catbird Seat, 55 Short Stories from New Yorker , November 14, 1942
  4. A. h. Weiler (1960-04-19). "Screen: Thurber Tale: Battle of the Sexes' Is British Import". NY Times. Retrieved 2019-09-01.
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