"He should not be here.
He should not be about.
He should not be here.
When your mother is out!"
This quote marks one of many of the fish’s protests to the Cat’s intrusion into Sally and her brother’s home. As a symbol of authority and conformity, the fish mainly exists to vocalize the domestic concerns of the children's mother during her absence. The repetition of “He should not be here” exemplifies his passionate opposition to the Cat, as well as his commitment to upholding normalcy and “decency” in the home. The fish’s clash with the Cat underscores the major conflict of the book: should the children comply with the Fish’s world of order or embrace the Cat’s world of chaos and fun?
Should we tell her about it?
Now, what should we do?
Well…
What would YOU do
If your mother asked YOU?
The famous, confrontational closing lines of the book transpose the children’s final dilemma to readers: should the children tell the truth or lie about their day to their mother? With the capitalized “YOU” and “SHOULD,” Seuss draws extra attention to readers, urging us to consider how we would respond if we were in the boy’s position. By directly involving us in the text and not revealing the boy’s response to his mother, Seuss keeps the ending ambiguous, which prompts us to draw our own conclusions about a fundamental quandary in childhood: the desire to tell the truth vs. the desire not to face punishment from an authority figure. Through this, Seuss extends one of the book’s central themes—the necessity of questioning authority—into our own lives.
"Look at me!
Look at me!
Look at me NOW!
It is fun to have fun
But you have to know how."
Here, the Cat begs Sally and her brother to watch him balance, toss, and juggle household items. The abundance of exclamation points illustrates the Cat’s excitement at introducing his antics to the children, and enhances the playful, exuberant tone of the book altogether. Additionally, the repetition of “Look at me!” highlights the Cat’s fervent commitment to teaching them how to amuse themselves using ordinary belongings, including books. These repetitive pleas, along with the accusation that Sally and her brother do not yet “know how” to have fun, reveal how the Cat perceives his relationship to the children: a much-needed anarchic role model that persuades them into joining him in some mischievous, boisterous fun.
Then I said to the cat,
"Now you do as I say.
You pack up those Things
And you take them away!"
After successfully capturing the Things, the boy shows off his recently discovered confidence and implores the Cat to leave. The boy’s exertion of authority over the Cat contrasts with their earlier interactions, which consisted of the boy passively watching the Cat create mayhem in the house. In fact, this quote marks the first instance of the boy directly addressing the Cat altogether—thus cementing his transformation from a timid observer to an assertive defender of his home. Clearly, the Cat’s visit has not just exposed the children to chaos and unruliness: it has also taught them a wide range of important, lifelong skills, such as problem-solving and speaking up for oneself.
"Have no fear of this mess,"
Said the Cat in the Hat.
"I always pick up all my playthings.
And so…
I will show you another
Good trick that I know!"
After re-entering the children’s home with a magical cleaning vehicle, the Cat shows the children one final “good trick”: rapidly cleaning, dusting, and placing all the household items back in their original spot. His clean-up effort restores order in the house just in time for the return of the children’s mother. The Cat’s claim that he “always picks up all [his] playthings” reveals the contradictory nature of his character. Before the clean-up, the Cat’s characterization rested on a rebellious transgression of authority and the behavior norms enforced in the children’s home. However, his commitment to cleaning up undermines his love for shenanigans and chaos, revealing him as a supporter of a quintessential rule within the average American household: cleaning up after one’s mess.
