Socks

Socks is the protagonist and titular character of the novel, and his name comes from his appearance. His white paws make him look as if he is wearing socks, and this quality stands out because of the stripes over his body and the “black rings around his tail like the rings on a raccoon’s tail” (19). Cats are often considered to be stand-offish creatures who seem intentional in the trouble they cause. While Cleary nods to this interpretation with such thoughts as Socks requiring snacks as an apology for being laughed at, she also paints cats as misunderstood creatures whose actions are misinterpreted as harmful. This is seen clearly through Nana in Chapter 5. Socks is used to playing with objects he finds around the house. However, when he plays with Nana’s wig, the humans interpret this as Socks being a bad cat. In reality, Socks just thought the wig made a fun toy. Socks’s character arc also shows that cats view humans as more than just vehicles for food and shelter. Socks’s affection-seeking displays The Search for Belonging Amid Shifting Familial Dynamics, as he specifically wants to belong with the Brickers. Thus, his actions are out of desperation, not cruelty or an urge to disobey, and represent his experience of Overcoming Struggles in Challenging Relationships to Form Lasting Bonds and Adapting to New Situations Through Acceptance, Not Resistance. Socks represents the role pets play in the household, as well as how animals, like humans, are susceptible to how they are treated by those they care about. Because Socks first views Charles William as a hindrance and later accepts him as a playmate, he is a dynamic character who changes throughout the text.