Summary

In "Listen," two nameless characters talk about something surprising that has happened. They discuss everyone's response to the event, and its political implications. The conversation evolves as the characters consider the event’s symbolic meaning. They think reactions to it are signs of typical "human behavior" (125). After more discussion, they decide no one is really listening or paying attention to what is happening around them (126). One of them mentions something else that happened. They are both tired of paying attention. They ask each other questions about people they know, and other global happenings. Everything sounds the same to them. They "still can't believe" what has happened (130).

In "The Language of Cats and Dogs," college senior Sophie Vincent was sitting in her professor R. M. Tower's car when he proposed they "speak in a language any cat or...