The Postman Always Rings Twice

What is the significance of cats throughout the story? What are three things they symbolize?

How does the book’s title, The Postman Always Rings Twice, correspond to the story even though there is no postman in the text?

Cain establishes Sackett and Katz as opposing forces in the story. How are the two men similar and how are they different? What moral positions do they each represent?

Cain became famous for a style of writing that is simultaneously blunt and suggestive. Choose four quotes from the novel that illustrate Cain’s writing style and explain how they convey much more information than what Cain overtly states.

Just as Frank’s character is somewhat ambiguous, Cora’s character may also be interpreted in more than one way. Is Cora a true “femme fatale,” or is she a woman who gets into bad situations because she has no other choice?

Why does Frank want his story printed after his execution? What does he hope to achieve by telling the whole story from his perspective?

What does the novel suggest about the racial attitudes that existed at the time of its publication?

Cora gives Frank several reasons why she hates Nick. What are they, and what are her underlying reasons for despising her husband?