The Cricket In Times Square

“There seemed always to be something smiling inside Papa.”

This characterization of Papa highlights his kindness and helps establish him as the family peacemaker; Mario’s parental “good cop.” Papa, with his internal gentleness, chooses to be happy rather than look for the negative.

“Cricketers are good luck—so I suppose ants are better luck. And cockroaches are the best luck of all.”

Mama’s comment about Chester reveals both her dry wit and her critical side. The practical Mama is unimpressed with Chester and doesn’t buy into Mario’s assertion that crickets are good luck. She believes in hard work rather than luck. Ironically, Mama is proven wrong about Chester and comes to value him.

“Mario looked down at his new friend in the palm of his hand. Just for once he had been really happy.”

Mario reveals his sensitive nature and open heart. He immediately welcomes Chester as a friend, even more than the pet he has longed for. Mario’s comment suggests that he doesn’t have many friends and is lonely. Mama’s initial rejection of Chester hurts Mario.

“He had a high, musical voice. Everything he said seemed to be spoken in an unheard melody.”

Selden uses musical language to characterize Chester, showing that his musicality is a fundamental part of him. Chester speaks as though he’s hearing music that no one else hears, which reflects his innate connection to music.

“In the country, maybe […] But in New York we gave up those old habits long ago.”

Tucker explains that the custom of cats and mice being enemies is old-fashioned. In the progressive city, unlike in the provincial countryside, cross-species friendships are the new norm. Tucker and Harry’s camaraderie illustrates the theme of Good Friends: The Greatest Fortune.

“It made him feel better to think that there was one familiar thing, twinkling above him, amidst so much that was new and strange.”

Seeing Times Square at night with its bright lights, towering buildings, and noisy traffic and people make Chester feel small and overwhelmed until he recognizes the star shining above the city. The star, which represents the comfort and security of his life in the country, reminds him of his home there and makes him feel closer to it.

“More than anything else the Bellini family liked Italian opera. Every Saturday during the winter, when the opera was broadcast, they would sit clustered around the radio in the newsstand, straining to hear the music above the din of the subway station.”

This quote illustrates the story’s theme of The Power of Music. Italian opera bonds the Bellini family, old and young, as they listen together. Mr. Smedley and Papa Bellini, who are seemingly from different social worlds, connect over their shared love of Italian opera. Chester’s beautiful renditions of arias bring strangers together to listen, unifying them.

“Long, long ago he played on a harp—and he played it so beautifully that not only human beings, but animals and even the rocks and trees and waterfall stopped their work to listen to him. The lion left off chasing the deer, the rivers paused in their courses, and the wind held its breath. The whole world was silent.”

Mr. Smedley’s retelling of the Greek legend of Orpheus illustrates again the theme of The Power of Music by exemplifying how it can not only unite but also soothe and bring temporary peace. Music makes natural foes—predator and prey, like the lion and the deer—forget their conflict. This quote foreshadows Chester’s musical prowess and his final concert and encore, which bring the subway and Times Square to a standstill. In addition, the legend of Orpheus informs the story’s motif of contrasting sound and silence.

“His voice sounded as high and dry as a cricket’s chirping.”

The simile comparing Sai Fong’s voice to a chirping cricket shows the emphasis on sound imagery that Selden uses repeatedly throughout the story. This sensory image helps describe what both Sai Fong and Chester sound like and establishes a connection between them.

“Velly good advice. You go now. Always be leady for happiness. Good-bye.”

The depiction of Sai Fong’s Chinese accent reflects an offensive ethnic stereotype. However, Sai Fong’s message to Mario is important and prophetic. Sai Fong advises Mario to be open to good fortune, and Mario finds happiness not only in his family’s success, but in Chester’s friendship. It shows that happiness is more important for everyone, emphasizing a truth that transcends and unites all creatures and cultures.

“There’s nothing like freedom.”

Chester is relieved when Harry lets him out of the fancy cricket cage, and his comment shows how important freedom is to him. The human-made cage symbolizes captivity. It’s not a “home.” Chester’s true home is his natural, simple, tree-stump house, where he’s free to be himself.

“Listen to the cricket […] Acting noble and making me look like a bum. Of course I’ll give the money! Wherever mice are spoken of, never let it be said that Tucker Mouse was stingy with his worldly goods.”

Tucker is protective of his life savings, but he values his friendship with Chester even more. Tucker shows that he’s a giving, generous friend by helping Chester pay for the $2 bill he ate. In addition, Tucker’s comment highlights Chester’s ethical character, which contrasts with what Harry calls Tucker’s “skinflint” nature. Chester self-sacrificingly declares that Tucker shouldn’t part with his money for him.

“Sometimes when she was very happy, Mama Bellini whistled, and once or twice Mario had heard her hum. But now here she was crying and warbling like and Italian nightingale!”

Chester’s music—and coincidentally perfect song choice—brings Mama Bellini happiness. Mama’s reaction illustrates the theme of The Power of Music. Music can evoke memories and affect mood. Mama, moved by the music to remember the romance of her youth, is inspired to forgive Chester because his song brought her such happiness by evoking that memory. Mario gets to see Mama’s rarely expressed softer side.

“And sometimes, when he had been deeply moved by a section, the music teacher would touch his chest over his heart and say, ‘That cricket has it here!’”

Mr. Smedley is critically impressed with Chester’s perfect pitch and his musical phrasing but is even more impressed with the emotion—the heart—that Chester puts into his playing. Chester’s playing again emphasizes the theme of The Power of Music by illustrating music’s ability to produce deep and different emotional effects on everyone who listens.

“But now here is a strange thing: he wasn’t really happy—not the way he used to be.”

Chester discovers that the restrictions in freedom that come with his new fame diminish his happiness. Although he has adoring fans, having to perform at specific times in front of huge crowds takes away the spontaneity and fun of playing. In recognizing this, Chester shows self-awareness and emotional intelligence.

“I almost wish he hadn’t come to New York—if he isn’t going to be happy here.”

Mario proves that he’s a true, supportive friend to Chester: He’s willing to sacrifice his own happiness to have Chester as a friend and pet for Chester’s happiness. This quote illustrates the story’s theme of Good Friends: The Greatest Fortune.

“Then, quickly, like a lock snapping into place, something was decided in his mind. Chester felt very relieved after the decision had been made.”

Chester considers Mario’s comment about his unhappiness. He understands that Mario wants him to be happy, which helps Chester make the difficult decision to leave his friends and return to the home that he loves. The image of the lock suggests that Chester’s decision is firm and fixed. Chester’s choice illustrates the story’s theme of The Importance of Being True to Oneself.

“You don’t feel like playing! […] That’s like the sun saying, ‘I don’t feel like shining.’”

Aghast when Chester declines to learn a new song, Tucker uses a comparison to the natural world that expresses both the elemental and constant qualities of Chester’s playing. Chester counters with another natural comparison: that the sun rests on cloudy days. Chester’s mood is gray, like a cloudy day.

“My opinion […] is that it’s Chester’s life and he should do what he wants. What good is it to be famous if it only makes you unhappy?”

Harry supports Chester’s decision to retire, recognizing, much like Mario, that it’s important to be true to oneself and do what makes you happy. Although Harry will miss Chester “dreadfully,” Harry understands and backs Chester’s choice, showing how much he cares about his friend.

“Just this once, in the very heart of the busiest of cities, everyone was perfectly content not to move and hardly to breathe. And for those few minutes, while the song lasted, Times Square was as still as a meadow at evening, with the sun streaming in on the people there and the wind moving among them as if they were only tall blades of grass.”

Chester’s final song is so powerful that it quiets the loud city, bringing peace to his listeners. This quote illustrates the story’s motif of sound and silence—and highlights the positive emotional effects of music. In addition, it reflects how the peace that Chester’s beautiful music generates is like the peace of being in nature.

“There was all of his love, and good-bye too, in that one chirp.”

Mario and Chester have a strong, loving bond and communicate easily even though they can’t speak one another’s language. Mario empathizes with Chester’s feelings, and Chester returns his love. Even though he’s asleep when Chester leaves, Mario senses his good-bye chirp and the tenderness it encompasses.

“No one said anything. This was the hardest time of all.”

The silence between Harry, Tucker, and Chester as they wait for Chester’s train to depart is heavy with their emotion and sadness. Their silence shows how difficult it is for Chester to leave—and how hard it is for his friends to let him go. When the train moves away, the finality of Chester’s going sinks in, and “the three friends all found that they still had millions of things to say” (148).

“And I’m glad.”

Sad that Chester has gone, Mario’s “voice drop[s] off abruptly” (149) when he tells his parents that Chester went home but strengthens again when he declares that he’s “glad.” The changes in his voice reveal his initial sadness for himself in losing his good friend and then his happiness for Chester.