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This hero and villain no more understand Krazy Kat than the mythical denizens of a two dimensional realm understand some three dimensional intruder. The world of Offissa Pupp and Ignatz Mouse is a knowledgeable power-world, in terms of which our unknowledgeable heroine is powerlessness personified. The sensical law of this world is might makes right; the nonsensical law of our heroine is love conquers all. To put the oak in the acorn: Ignatz Mouse and Offissa Puppers all. To put the oak in the acorn: Ignatz Mouse and Offissa Pupp (each completely convinced that his own particular brand of might makes right) are simple-minded - Krazy isn't - therefore, to Offissa Pupp and Ignatz Mouse, Krazy is. But if both our hero and our villain don't and can't understand our heroine, each of them can and each of them does misunderstand her differently. To our softhearted altruist, she is the adorably helpless incarnation of saintliness. To our hardhearted egoist, she is the puzzlingly indestructible embodiment of idiocy. The benevolent overdog sees her as an inspired weakling. The malevolent undermouse views her as a born target. Meanwhile Krazy Kat, through this double misunderstanding, fulfills her joyous destiny.

E. E. Cummings#40

LoveCharacterLiteraturePowerMisunderstandingPerspectiveValuesWar

About this quote

What does it mean?
The quote contrasts the logical, power-driven world of Offissa Pupp and Ignatz Mouse with Krazy Kat's illogical world of love, suggesting neither can truly understand the other.
In plain terms
People who live by power cannot understand someone who lives by love.
What can you take from it?
Different worldviews can lead to mutual misunderstanding.

Where it applies

  • analyzing literature
  • exploring character dynamics
  • discussing conflicting values

Putting it to work

  • literary analysis
  • character study
  • theme exploration

Questions to consider

  • How do differing value systems create conflict?
  • Can love truly conquer power in a pragmatic world?

Another view

The analogy relies heavily on specific knowledge of the Krazy Kat comic strip.

More from E. E. Cummings

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

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  3. A humbly poetic, gently clownlike, supremely innocent, and illimitably affectionate creature (slightly resembling a child's drawing of a cat, but gifted with t…

    Permalink to quote #38

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