The Catbird Seat

A Change of Character By: Darryl F thither is always more to an individual than his or her extincter appearing and behavior. Sometimes what is thought to be rattling ordinary, or uncommon, may very well be deeper and more vicious than alone having a drink or smoking a cig atomic number 18tte. Whether it is a plot to seek come forth riches, or even a scheme to eliminate a nonher individual, usu aloney the person is light-emitting diode by his or her transfigure ego. Such is the case in James Thurber?s short story ?The Catbird Seat,? which is a portrayal of a troops deliberately trying to ? vex out? (207) any(prenominal)one due to her threat to him and to the firm. Mr. Erwin Martin, the timid and speckless employee for F & S, experiences extremely dramatic character transformations due to the worthless antagonistic attitudes of his co-worker, Mrs. Ulgine Barrows. Desperate times call for desperate measures. Furthermore, Mr. Martin is non merely the nerdy, precise man he is perceived as.

        Mr. Martin has been with F & S now for near twenty-two years. He is the head word of the filing department and is very well respected. Mr. Fitweiler, Martin?s pigeonhole at F & S, once said, ?Man is fallible simply Martin isn?t? (207). He follows a very routine breeding; however, it is so routine that it is unusual. It seems like Mr. Martin, as infallible as he is, is merely ?setting us up? for the another(prenominal)(prenominal)(prenominal) sides of him. Appearance is just an image. He seems to be the most susceptible and caring man but apparently not. Would such(prenominal) a man deliberately try to ? gravel out? another person? Or even worse, plot out a shoot? Desperate times call for desperate measures. It all begins in ?the halls of F & S on March 7, 1941? (207). That was when he first hears her quaking voice, and it has been infecting him with hate ever since. ?The finger was on his lamb department. Her pickaxe was on the upswing? (209). Fearing the d sustainfall of his company, department, and himself, Mr. Martin has to act quickly to ? set to out? Mrs. Barrows.

         The slow destruction of F & S begins be quiet to two years ago. ?Mrs. Barrows had met Mr. Fitweiler at a party? (208). It is very well possible that the cunning Mrs. Barrows had seduced her boss; otherwise she would not have been given the job and e additionally be his special advisor. On a regular basis, Mrs. Barrows intentionally patronizes Mr. Martin with nasty comments such as, ? be you tearing up the tea patch? . . Are you sit in the catbird seat?? (208) Mr. Martin can not take the downfall of the company any longer.

        After a week of long precarious planning, Mr. Martin has figured out how to ?rub out? Mrs. Barrows. The concept of Mr. Martin?s plot against another mustiness mean he is desperate. By having been repressed for quite some time, Mr. Martin?s alter ego slowly starts to seep out of his pores. Before he even leaves to her flat, the nerdy little man transforms into a criminal mind. Having plotted her murder, everything seemed to be perfect for Mr. Martin. He reaches her apartment that night ?eighteen minutes after nine?; however, ?Mrs. Barrows seemed bigger than he had thought? (210). He searches for some foreign objects that depart be unresolved of doing enough damage without having to struggle. Immediately the murder idea would not work; his nerves were kicking in. change into ?criminal mind mode?, Mr. Martin realizes that he is not capable of murdering Mrs. Barrows. After knocking over a small human face jar and some stamps, Mr. Martin -if that is still his name- is forced to explore within of himself for a bracing approach to ?rub out? Mrs. Barrows.

This new man emerges from Mr. Martin through pure evil. ?I drink and rat all the time?.



He has figured out another plan. ?I?ll be coked to the gills when I bump that old turkey vulture off? (211). This transformation is completely opposite of the caring venerating side of Mr. Martin; however, not dangerous enough for the criminal assure mind. This new Mr. Martin is only in search to destroy Mrs. Barrows? account and credibility. With the assumption that Mrs. Barrows will report his threats to their boss, he says and does things that are completely on the contrary to ?the real? Mr. Martin?s personality. When he feels that he has accomplished his job, he walks to the door and says with enthusiasm, ?I?m sitting in the catbird seat?(211). He sticks his tongue out at her and leaves. However, Mr. Martin can never be the same man again.

        Mr. Martin, fearing his own demise, consciously or sub-consciously, experiences his own character changes. His alter egos take over and from a criminal mastermind to a very evil man, Mr. Martin experiences a permanent change in character. Although he is not likely be forced into such a dramatic character transformation again, Mr. Martin will endlessly know what he is truly capable of doing. Whether or not Mr. Martin has felt such changes in character before are unknown; however, there is always more to an individual than what is portrayed. so far after Mrs. Barrows is terminated from F & S, Mr. Martin is still feeling his own transformation of character. ?Wearing a look of studious concen-tration?(213) when he enters his office gives us the sign that Mr. Martin is a changed man.

                 

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