The Great Cat Massacre and Other Episodes in French Cultural History

Darnton begins by briefly detailing the objective and methodology behind the book. In short, he is investigating the attitudes of ordinary individuals living in France during the 18th century. While many scholars view history as a series of political events and exchanges of power, Darnton is more interested in writing an histoire des mentalités, or “history of attitudes.” That’s because, in his view, most major historical events have a relatively minor effect on the lives of everyday individuals.

Given that most French citizens were illiterate in the 1700s, Darnton borrows tactics from anthropologists who study ancient peoples. As such, he relies on sources like folktales, police reports, and oral histories to paint a picture of 18th-century French life, both in the city and the countryside. Moreover, Darnton argues that the key to studying the attitudes of any past civilization involves spotting events and attitudes that seem to defy reason, like the mass slaughter of cats that gives the book its title. He sums up his methodology by writing, “When we cannot get a proverb, or a joke, or a ritual, or a poem, we know we are on to something” (5).