Cat’s Eye by Margaret Atwood is primarily set in Toronto, Canada, located alongside Lake Ontario’s north-western shore. Its large population of immigrants from various parts of the world has made Toronto one of the most multicultural cities in the world. The novel follows Elaine Risley’s emergence as an artist while also depicting the gradual growth of Toronto from the end of WWII to the 1980s. During this time the city grew from a population of over one million people to close to four million. The Toronto of Elaine’s childhood in the 1950s was a quiet place; the skyline was made up of a handful of buildings from the 1930s, the brick buildings were stained with soot from the industry that still dominated the waterfront, and citizens could not purchase alcohol or shop on Sundays. It was seen as a sleepy town and not considered as being on the cutting edge of post war expression and discovery. The 1960s and 1970s saw the suburban sprawl take over, leaving downtown taller and serviced by a subway.

A new house at the beginning of a suburban sprawl is where Elaine lives for the majority of her childhood. The block is covered in mud, left half-finished by a devious developer; a sign of the new suburban life. As the novel progresses, neighbours appear, then a new school and eventually a new bridge. In the summer months, when warmer temperatures allow for Elaine’s father to continue his entomology research, Elaine’s family spend time north of the city. Atwood marks the seasons with characters variously adding more clothing and staying inside or shedding mittens and snow boots to begin exploring outside again.