Cat’s Eye
Introduction + Context
Plot Summary
Detailed Summary & Analysis
Part 1 Part 2 Part 3 Part 4 Part 5 Part 6 Part 7 Part 8 Part 9 Part 10 Part 11 Part 12 Part 13 Part 14 Part 15
Themes
All Themes Art, Science, and Religion Gender and Cruelty War vs. Environmental Catastrophe Identity and Conflict Time and Memory
Quotes
Characters
All Characters Elaine Risley Cordelia Stephen Risley Elaine’s Father Elaine’s Mother Grace Smeath Carol Campbell Mrs. Smeath Jon Ben Josef Hrbik Susie Cordelia’s Mother Miss Stuart Mr. Banerji Mrs. Finestein
Symbols
All Symbols Cat’s Eye Marble The Bridge Virgin Mary
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Cat’s Eye

by

Margaret Atwood
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Jon Character Analysis

Elaine’s first husband, who also aspires to be a painter and artist. Unsuccessful in his artistic career, however, he takes on a job designing props for movie sets. He has frequent affairs and seems to relish his easy relationships with women. He also does not want to keep a clean house and dismisses Elaine’s art style as conventional and illustrative. Although he and Elaine marry when she becomes pregnant with Sarah, Jon continues to have affairs and they fight until they divorce. Jon represents a certain kind of young idealism that ends up quenched with the entrance into normal adult life.

Jon Quotes in Cat’s Eye

The Cat’s Eye quotes below are all either spoken by Jon or refer to Jon . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Art, Science, and Religion Theme Icon
).
Part 2 Quotes

What we share, Jon and I, may be a lot like a traffic accident, but we do

share it. We are survivors, of each other. We have been shark to one another, but also lifeboat. That counts for something.

Related Characters: Elaine Risley (speaker), Jon
Gender and Cruelty Theme Icon
Identity and Conflict Theme Icon
Time and Memory Theme Icon
Page Number: 18
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 10 Quotes

We are silent, considering shortfalls. There’s not much time left, for us to become what we once intended. Jon had potential, but it’s not a word that can be used comfortably any more. Potential has a shelf life.

Related Characters: Elaine Risley (speaker), Jon
Gender and Cruelty Theme Icon
Identity and Conflict Theme Icon
Time and Memory Theme Icon
Page Number: 289
Explanation and Analysis:
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Jon Quotes in Cat’s Eye

The Cat’s Eye quotes below are all either spoken by Jon or refer to Jon . For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Art, Science, and Religion Theme Icon
).
Part 2 Quotes

What we share, Jon and I, may be a lot like a traffic accident, but we do

share it. We are survivors, of each other. We have been shark to one another, but also lifeboat. That counts for something.

Related Characters: Elaine Risley (speaker), Jon
Gender and Cruelty Theme Icon
Identity and Conflict Theme Icon
Time and Memory Theme Icon
Page Number: 18
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 10 Quotes

We are silent, considering shortfalls. There’s not much time left, for us to become what we once intended. Jon had potential, but it’s not a word that can be used comfortably any more. Potential has a shelf life.

Related Characters: Elaine Risley (speaker), Jon
Gender and Cruelty Theme Icon
Identity and Conflict Theme Icon
Time and Memory Theme Icon
Page Number: 289
Explanation and Analysis:
Unlock with LitCharts A+
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