Cat and Mouse

«Cat and Mouse» — the second book of the «Danzig Trilogy» by Günter Grass, published shortly after the novel «The Tin Drum». The narrative centers on the story of teenager Joachim Mahlke, whose childhood and youth take place in wartime Danzig, in a militaristic atmosphere imbued with the spirit of National Socialism. Despised by everyone, Mahlke tries to change how others see him and earn the fame of a hero, but he faces defeat. Even the award he receives — the Knight's Cross — does not help him gain recognition. The grotesque story takes on tragic tones and turns into a cruel disappointment for the hero. Grass himself explains it this way: «The story of Mahlke exposes the church, the school, the cult of the hero — all of society. In his case, everything turned out to be unsustainable.»