William Burroughs, The Cat Inside

Chad Weidner
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The Cat Inside

is a late publication by Beat Generation member William Burroughs. The novella is an autobiographical account of living with cats. It explores the ordinary details of cat lives, as well as their joyful triumphs and moving tragedies. Burroughs conveys his message through the use of lucid dream episodes and discussions of the mythological history of felines. Near the end of the narrative, the author contemplates the future of cats and other animal species in a world wrought with environmental problems. Ultimately, the text highlights the importance of cats to continued human existence.

The book was first published as a limited edition by Grenfell Press in 1986. Only a few dozen copies were initially produced. Viking Press released a hardcover version in 1992 and paperback

741 words

Citation: Weidner, Chad. "The Cat Inside". The Literary Encyclopedia. First published 15 July 2011 [https://www.litencyc.com/php/sworks.php?rec=true&UID=1360, accessed 28 March 2024.]

1360 The Cat Inside 3 Historical context notes are intended to give basic and preliminary information on a topic. In some cases they will be expanded into longer entries as the Literary Encyclopedia evolves.

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