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A humbly poetic, gently clownlike, supremely innocent, and illimitably affectionate creature (slightly resembling a child's drawing of a cat, but gifted with the secret grace and obvious clumsiness of a penguin on terra firma) who is never so happy as when egoist-mouse, thwarting altruist-dog, hits her in the head with a brick. Dog hates mouse and worships 'cat', mouse despises 'cat' and hates dog, 'cat' hates no one and loves mouse.

E. E. Cummings#38

LoveCharacterLiteratureInnocenceRelationships

About this quote

What does it mean?
This description portrays Krazy Kat as an innocent creature who finds joy in being hit by a brick, contrasting her unconditional love with the hate between the mouse and dog.
In plain terms
Krazy Kat loves everyone, while the dog and mouse hate each other but worship her.
What can you take from it?
Love can exist where others only hate.

Where it applies

  • analyzing literature
  • exploring character dynamics
  • discussion of love

Putting it to work

  • character analysis
  • theme discussion

Questions to consider

  • Is unconditional love possible in a hateful world?
  • Why does Krazy enjoy being hurt?

Another view

The quote requires prior knowledge of the specific comic strip characters to fully grasp the dynamics.

More from E. E. Cummings

  1. What concerns me fundamentaly is a meteoric burlesk melodrama, born of the immemorial adage love will find a way.

    Permalink to quote #37
  2. If you're a twofisted, spineless progressive (a mighty fashionable stance nowadays) Offissa Pupp, who forcefully asserts the will of socalled society, becomes …

    Permalink to quote #39
  3. nothing except the impossible shall occur

    Permalink to quote #36

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