The American wife looks outside the window She sees a cat hiding under a wet green table She tells her husband nbsp I m going down and get that kitty nbsp George only says Don t get wet These short answers show he does not care about her feelings He gives no real attention This shows a modern marriage where husband and wife live together but do not share their hearts Emotional Distance George is not a cruel man But he is distant When the wife shares her simple wishes he does not respond kindly When she asks if she should grow her hair long he says he likes it short She says she gets tired of looking like a boy She wants to feel feminine She wants to feel loved But George returns to his book At one point he even says nbsp Oh shut up and get something to read nbsp His words hurt They show that in their relationship he listens to her voice but not to her heart This shows an American lifestyle where personal space is valued more than emotional closeness Emotional Hunger The American wife wants care and attention She wants the cat because she herself feels lost She says nbsp I wanted that poor kitty nbsp She also says she wants new clothes long hair silver things and candles These wishes are not only about beauty They are signs of emotional hunger These wants show that she desires a better life a happier marriage and a more meaningful connection Her long list also shows a modern American society where people have many dreams but often feel empty inside Missing Care at Home When the American wife goes downstairs the hotel-keeper stands up and bows She tells him it is raining He gently tells her it is very bad weather The narrator says the nbsp Padrone made her feel very small and at the same time really important nbsp This means she feels noticed She feels valued She feels respected These are the things she does not get from George A stranger gives her the respect she wants from her husband This contrast shows a gap in their marriage and reveals the coldness inside the couple s American life American Loneliness Their relationship is polite but empty They stay together but they do not connect deeply The American wife feels alone George lives in his own world Their silence and emotional distance show a part of American society where people have freedom but often lack true closeness The cat that comes at the end is a small comfort but it does not fix the marriage The relationship between George and the American wife shows silence distance and deep loneliness Hemingway suggests that in American life independence often replaces affection The story proves that true loneliness begins when two people in a marriage stop understanding each other