The Cricket in Times Square — Chapter 4

About This Passage

Selden builds this sentence around two unusual word pairings. First, 'terrible and beautiful' — two opposing words held together rather than chosen between. The lights of Times Square are not just one thing; they are both magnificent and overwhelming, and the author refuses to pick which word to use. This is called an oxymoron, and it works because the world really does often contain experiences that are both wonderful and frightening at the same time. Second, the phrase 'measured high things by the height of his willow tree' tells us that until this moment, Chester's whole standard of bigness was a single tree in a Connecticut meadow. When you copy this sentence, notice how Selden makes us feel Chester's smallness without ever using the word 'small.' The willow tree and the brook do all the work.

Narration Prompt

In your own words, tell the story of this chapter. What were the most important moments? What made them important — and how do you know?

Discussion Questions

1. At the end of Chapter 3, Harry Cat was a terrifying figure leaping from the darkness. In Chapter 4, the very next page, Harry is revealed as Tucker's oldest friend. Why do you think Selden gave the same character two completely opposite first impressions in two consecutive chapters? What does this teach the reader about how to read the rest of the book?
2. Tucker says of cats and mice, 'In the country, maybe. But in New York we gave up those old habits long ago.' What does Tucker mean by 'old habits' — is he just talking about cats and mice, or is he talking about something larger, about the way the city has made certain old enemies impossible? Is this a hopeful idea or a sad one?

+ 3 more questions in the complete study guide