Christine M Henry

Advance Composition

April 9, 2007

1 page

“I’m sorry I stepped on your cat.

I’m sorry the cat got stepped on.

The cat looks upset.

Why was the cat under my foot?

Can’t the damn animal watch where it’s going?

You shouldn’t have let the cat in the room.” (The Language War, p. 24)

This quote presents several interesting scenarios. The point of these series of statements is to demonstrate the forms that an apology can take.

The first line may be genuine. It acknowledges the action/wrongdoing, “stepping on”. It sort of acknowledges the hurt party, “the cat” (although the apology is directed at the owner). And it might be assumed that the person making the apology needs to be forgiven, but you really cannot be sure.

The second line isn’t as genuine, or at least isn’t as clear. It does everything the first line does, except, acknowledge that the speaker is the wrongdoer.

The third line isn’t an apology at all. All it does is state a fact. The emotional state of the cat.

The forth line starts to place the blame on the cat. By trying to make it seem like the cat placed itself under the foot.
The fifth line places all the blame on the cat, and don’t mention the action at all.

And the sixth line places all of the blame onto the owner of the cat.