40 pages • 1-hour read
The Cat Who Saved Books
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Themes
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of death.
The Power of Books to Cultivate Empathy
In The Cat Who Saved Books, the true value of literature is measured not by the knowledge it imparts but by the empathy it cultivates. The novel argues that reading is a fundamentally connective act, allowing individuals to experience the lives and emotions of others and thereby fostering the compassion necessary for meaningful human relationships. This perspective contrasts sharply with modern approaches that treat books as objects useful for status, data, or consumption, proposing instead that literature’s greatest power lies in its ability to transform a solitary reader into a more engaged and understanding person.
The novel establishes this theme by presenting antagonists who embody corrupted, isolating forms of reading. The Imprisoner of Books, for instance, reads voraciously to inflate his status, boasting that he has read over “fifty-seven thousand six hundred and twenty-two books” (33). However, he locks them away in glass cases after a single reading, turning his library into a sterile showroom rather than a source of wisdom. The Mutilator of Books discards everything he considers non-essential, reducing masterworks to a single sentence and lining the hallways of his operation with the remnants of destroyed books. Similarly, the Seller of Books views literature as a disposable commodity, arguing that “sales are everything” and that publishers should cater to the easiest, most profitable tastes (127). These figures represent a mindset that severs the emotional link between reader and text. By pursuing self-aggrandizement or profit, they miss the essential purpose of stories, remaining trapped in their own solipsistic worlds.
In contrast, Rintaro’s journey through the labyrinths leads him to articulate the novel’s central vision of reading. Initially, he’s a reclusive student who uses books as a refuge. However, the novel’s fantastical events force him to defend their intrinsic worth. In the final labyrinth, he has a climactic realization, declaring that the power of books is empathy. He argues that stories are filled with human thoughts and feelings and that by experiencing them, “we learn about the hearts and minds of other people besides ourselves” (174). This journey from passive reader to active defender of literature’s soul is mirrored in his deepening connection with Sayo. Their friendship blossoms through shared reading, illustrating how the empathy that people gain from books translates directly into real-world connections. The novel thus concludes that literature’s ultimate purpose is to build bridges between people, making the act of reading a vital foundation for a more compassionate world.
The Courage to Emerge From Isolation
The Cat Who Saved Books portrays courage not as an inherent quality but as a virtue forged through action and meaningful connection with others. In following Rintaro’s transformation from a passive hikikomori into a determined advocate for literature, the novel illustrates that overcoming personal grief and social withdrawal requires a purpose beyond oneself. Through his fantastical adventures, Rintaro learns that bravery isn’t the absence of fear but the decision to act despite fear, a decision that fighting for a cause and caring for other people make possible.
Initially, losing his grandfather immobilizes Rintaro, and he retreats into the familiar comfort of the family bookshop, finding some solace in his grandfather’s collection of literature and the knowledge he gained from it and from his grandfather. However, Tiger the talking cat doesn’t appreciate Rintaro’s introspection, bluntly describing him as a “miserable, good-for-nothing shut-in” who has no desire to engage with the outside world (16). When Tiger appears and demands Rintaro’s help to rescue imprisoned books, it forces Rintaro into action. His first steps into the labyrinths are hesitant; only the cat’s persistence compels him to go since he lacks his own initiative. This initial reluctance is crucial, as it establishes that courage isn’t his starting point. Instead, his journey demonstrates that bravery begins with a single, often difficult, step outside one’s isolation, even if one takes that step without confidence.
As Rintaro continues his quest, his growing bond with Sayo nurtures and solidifies his courage. Her steadfast presence and emotional support transform his abstract mission into a shared endeavor. In the third labyrinth, when Rintaro falters before the cynical publishing president, Sayo’s support is what steadies his resolve. His motivation becomes even stronger in the final labyrinth, where the objective is no longer just to save books but also to rescue Sayo. The antagonist acknowledges this, stating that the “key to getting through to [Rintaro] was the girl” (145). This shift personalizes the stakes, compelling Rintaro to act with a conviction he previously lacked. By his journey’s end, his courage is no longer borrowed or accidental; it’s a genuine strength born from his connection to Sayo and his commitment to a cause. The novel ultimately suggests that finding the path out of isolation depends on the bonds that one forms with others.
The Corruption of Reading in the Modern World
Through its series of allegorical labyrinths, The Cat Who Saved Books critiques modern approaches to reading that corrupt its true purpose. The story argues that when people treat literature as a status symbol, a source of disposable entertainment, or mere data for efficient consumption, they sever the vital, transformative connection between a book and its reader. The novel depicts these contemporary attitudes, born of consumerism and a culture of haste and disposability, as acts of violence against literature that imprison and mutilate its very soul, as the elderly woman in the final labyrinth illustrates by representing a neglected book that has lost hope.
The first and third labyrinths directly challenge the idea of reducing books to objects of status and commerce. The Imprisoner of Books reads thousands of volumes not for wisdom but for self-aggrandizement, locking them away in a sterile “showroom” to showcase his intellectual vanity. His obsession with quantity over quality leaves the books unloved and their power untapped. Similarly, the Seller of Books, a publishing president, champions a purely commercial philosophy in which “sales are everything” (127). He advocates producing “cheap digests and abridged versions” to maximize profit (125), viewing books as expendable goods to consume and discard. Both antagonists represent a world that has divorced literature from its intrinsic value, turning the act of reading into a performance of intellect or a simple market transaction.
The second labyrinth represents the modern obsession with speed and efficiency. Here, the Mutilator of Books champions “The Streamlining of Reading” (74), a method of reducing classic stories to single-sentence summaries in the name of saving time. He proudly condenses a famous short story into the simple statement “Melos was furious” (76), arguing that he’s making masterpieces accessible to a busy society. Rintaro refutes this by comparing it to listening to a symphony on fast-forward, noting that such “efficiency” destroys the work’s artistry, nuance, and emotional depth. This encounter reinforces the philosophy of Rintaro’s grandfather, who taught him that reading a challenging book is like climbing a “tall mountain.” The struggle is part of the reward. By condemning these shortcuts, the novel advocates slower, more deliberate, and heartfelt engagement with literature to preserve its power to enrich the human spirit. Through a deep reading of a piece of literature, taking the time to contemplate its implications and its relationship to other works, one gains insight that condensing and speed-reading can’t provide. While this approach may be antithetical to life in a fast-paced world, the novel’s broader implication is that a simpler, more intentional pace of life is far richer.
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