You Will All Be Chopped Into Little Bits Like Mincemeat 

This engraving by Gustave Doré shows the grotesque cat, a personification of the fairy tale "Puss in Boots", addressing field workers. The scythe is the most prominent symbol in the image, wielded by almost every figure, suggesting ideas of labor, but also death. The scythe is an ancient symbol, used in various mythologies to represent the passage of time and the inevitability of death. Think of Cronus, in Greek mythology, castrating his father, or the Grim Reaper, a more recent figure. The cat’s words, promising dismemberment, tap into deep fears and anxieties. This threat evokes the darker aspects of folklore, where animals often symbolize instinctual, untamed forces. Such imagery resonates with a collective memory of primordial dangers and a subconscious awareness of mortality. These symbols are not static; their meanings shift and evolve. Doré's image reminds us that the symbols are not merely historical relics but living entities that continue to shape our understanding of the world.