If Cats Disappeared From The World

The penultimate chapter of the novel sees the postman rediscovering his treasured childhood collection of stamps. The stamps depict many seemingly random objects, through which the postman’s father communicated his emotions and experiences. This was the most meaningful way that the two men formed their relationship—the postman found his father’s gifts of stamps so important that he was inspired to become a postman because of them. Finding the collection represents the postman’s newfound sense of Valuing Objects, Relationships, and the Everyday. The stamps are indicative of the lingering influence of the postman’s father on his life even during the period they were estranged; an influence that is also underscored by the physical resemblance between the two men and their mutual difficulty communicating face to face.

The stamps thus symbolize the paternal love of the postman’s father, as well as the close familial bond that father and son once shared. Just as the postman put away his stamp collection, only to find it once more in the preparation for his death, so too did he neglect and discard his relationship with his father, only to seek reconciliation in the face of his own impending death.

Phones, the first item that the Devil makes disappear, are a significant motif, particularly through the first half of the novel. The postman’s reliance on phones, both in his daily life and in his relationship with his ex-girlfriend, highlights the importance of technology in modern life as well as its drawbacks. This illustrates the theme of Juxtaposing Gain and Loss, which is also explored through the role of the phone in the postman’s life and the consequences of its absence. The phone is both a way for the postman to connect with others, and a buffer preventing him from forming durable meaningful relationships in person. This paradox highlights the emotional walls of the postman as well as his efforts to reach out and connect with those around him.