What about the cat and the fox in denial? Real meaning & theories explained

Warning: Spoilers ahead for Denial episodes 3 and 4.

Two distinct animals may be thematically linked to the plot in Apple’s new mystery thriller series Denial. Cate Blanchett leads a talented ensemble cast of Denial Like Catherine Ravenscroft, a hard-working and acclaimed television documentary journalist from London, England. Catherine’s world unravels once a mysterious novel titled The perfect stranger comes to her doorBringing back memories of one of her deepest and darkest secrets. Denial Also starring Sacha Baron Cohen as Robert, Catherine’s husband, Cody Smith-McPhee as Nicholas, Robert and Catherine’s son, and Kevin Kline as Steven Brigstocke, a local London man who has lost his wife and son.

Denial is based on the 2015 book of the same name written by Renée Knight. The Apple series is Oscar-winning director Alfonso Cuarón’s first return to television since 2014. Believe. Cuarón has won two Best Directing Academy Awards, one for 2013’s Gravity Starring Sandra Bullock and another for his 2018 black and white film Roma. Denial earned an impressive Repeat Tomatoes critic score of 78%, which is a satisfying rebound for the 2-time Oscar-winning actress after the massive commercial and critical disappointment of Borderlands. Denial Consists of seven parts with the final episode releasing on November 15.

The cat in denial seemingly represents Catherine’s guilt and loss of control

The cat also exhibits similar behaviors to Catherine of spoiling and finding innocence

In some scenes of DenialCatherine’s pet cat is noticeably around her in such a way that it could be intentional and point to the themes of her story and character. The cat follows her around almost everywhere in the house, which is a clear sign at a very basic level that they are quite bonded and that Catherine probably spends a good amount of time at home around the cat. When she puts the cat down she can’t escape it as it hisses and vies for her attentionSometimes he even felt sad, repeating Catherine’s demands and instructions.

The cat is also gray, which may represent the gray area of ​​Catherine’s side of her story with Jonathan and be an interesting manifestation of her ambiguous feelings. After four episodes of DenialThe audience did After hearing Catherine’s perspective on the events that happened with Jonathan in ItalyHaving only seen her horrified responses to being exposed to her affair some twenty years later. The cat could also be an additional filmmaking tool to make Catherine’s home life more believable. However, the frequency with which the cat appears in the series is enough to raise questions about the other potential meanings.

Could the cat be even more important in denial?

Catherine is more connected to the cat than to her son

There is so much indirect focus on the cat in DenialWhich leads to the question of whether it might end up being more directly involved in the plot down the line. Whether significant or not, the cat may play a notable role in Catherine’s unbecoming. Otherwise, it would have just been thrown away for the sake of the atmosphere of Catherine and Robert’s home. If that’s the case, though, why would the cat need to be in so many scenes? Although it may seem like a stretch at this point in the series, The cat could be a clever way to further reveal Catherine’s side of the story And perhaps pointing to her innocence or guilt in Jonathan’s death.

If Catherine’s cat is not related to the plot of DenialThen at least there are clear connections between the cat’s traits and Catherine’s behaviors. The cat is often playfully mischievous, jumping up onto tables where it’s not supposed to be while also appearing extremely sweet and innocent. Like Catherine, the cat expresses a boldness that suggests confidence in getting away with things That it knows that it should not be doing. Catherine is also most comfortable at home, naturally, where she can be her sad self, which only the cat ever sees. Additionally, Catherine is more loving and connected to the cat than she is to her son, Nicholas.

The fox may be a clue that what happened in The Perfect Stranger is not real

The fox could cause the trickery of Nancy and Stephen against Catherine

On the other side of the plot, A fox often appeared in the yard outside the Brigstocke’s home. Although it may be implemented again to add authenticity to the film set, or even one of the strange functions during production that somehow finds its way into the final cut, there are some common meanings for foxes in literature and stories that may apply.

Foxes are cunning and can represent trickery, which may be hinting that Nancy’s book version of ​​the events between Jonathan and Catherine is just that, a trick meant to ruin Catherine’s life. The fox may also be reflective of Stephen’s trickery on Jonathan and Robert As he plants discreetly The perfect stranger in their possession. Steven’s goal is to destroy Catherine’s life through Nancy’s novel Denial But he may end up being more on the side of revenge than justice by the series end.