In Margaret Atwood's "Cat's Eye," the narrator conveys a sense of isolation and the struggle to escape from difficult situations. The feeling of being trapped yet discovering a potential exit reflects a deep internal conflict. The idea of fainting serves as a metaphor for temporarily detaching from reality, highlighting how one can momentarily escape their circumstances, even if just in a fleeting sense.

Moreover, the act of fainting symbolizes a disconnection from time and self, suggesting that when one regains consciousness, they find themselves entangled in the continuity of life that has passed them by. This reveals the poignant nature of existence, where moments of absence underscore the relentless progression of time, leaving the individual with a sense of loss and longing.