I have never considered that a book about a dog could be so appealing and full of deep thoughts. But I changed my viewpoint after reading the autobiographical novel “Marley & Me” written by John Grogan which depicts an astonishing story about the neurotic and loyal, clumsy and loving dog named Marley. In fact, as the author mentioned in some interviews, he intended to write the “dog story”, but soon after he realized that it was impossible to do so without including the family life [2]. That is why the title “Marley & Me” encapsulates the main topic of the book such as the relationship between a human and a pet. To start with let me introduce main characters: John, Jenny, and Marley. John and Jenny, newlywed couple began their family life in the little house in South Florida. Both had full time job in the local newspaper. One morning Jenny decided to get a dog to work on her parenting skills. They ended up bringing home the male puppy of Labrador retriever that seemed to be smitten with the couple with the first sight. The name “Marley” came out accidently, while Jenny was listening to a song from Bob Marley, and both Jenny and John shouted in unison that’s the dog’s name. Within weeks Marley grew tremendously. His active uncontrollable behavior affected the whole house. As a new boarder, Marley changed the family routine as well. Now John and Jenny had to walk the dog twice a day and come back on lunch break to feed him. Young Marley was so hyperactive and so excitable that the couple didn’t even realize that it was a symptom of the behavioral condition called attention deficit hyperactive disorder. Despite his behavior, the dog was serving an important role in the family. My observation the story through the book of growing up ... ... middle of paper ... ... the newspaper. I really recommend you read the last chapter of the book, where John collect essential moral of his novel. He explained what animal could teach to the human. John wrote about his relationship: “Mostly he [Marley] taught me about friendship and selflessness and, above all else, unwavering loyalty”. I liked Grogan’s humor and style of the writing and the way of describing the dog’s mood. For instance he used italic fonts to distinguish the dog’s replies or thoughts as if the dog said or thought something. I felt the author believed that a dog could be a central part of the family. This book taught me how to become a good owner of a dog. It is important to recognize that the owners have big responsibility for a dog’s life. References 1. Marley & Me. John Grogan, Harper publisher, 2008, 295 p. 2. http://www.johngroganbooks.com/marley/index.html
Have you ever wondered what your pets are thinking? Personally, I wonder all the time. I purposely mess with my dog to see how he reacts. Well, now you can at least get an idea of what they are thinking. The humorous short story, ¨A Conversation With My Dogs,¨ by Merrill Markoe is about a dog owner who is having a conversation with her dogs Bob and Stan about how they follow her around everywhere. The author is attempting to portray the thoughts of dogs when communicating with them. In this instance, the owner is confused about why they want to follow her everywhere. This short story is a high comedy that uses witty humor and situational irony to make the audience laugh while giving the lesson.
The short stories “Lu-Lu” by Joy Williams and “Stay” by David Schuman appear somewhat different on the surface; however, in greater depth the two emulate one another more than once. The two stories greatly mirror real-life in regards to the way humans view and treat fellow animals. Both stories present a similar situation, while emphasizing the individual human and animal relationship found within each. Through the acknowledgement of each character and how they acquire the animals, it is evident the animals are influential aspects of the stories and illuminate into everyday life. Although somewhat different, “Lu-Lu” and “Stay” both illustrate the idea that humans hold significant expectations as to the belief that animals can provide positive transformations in life.
It is often said that a dog is a man’s best friend. In Cormac McCarthy’s novel, The Crossing, a deep affection and fondness are established between man and animal. In a particular excerpt from the novel, Cormac illustrates the protagonist’s sorrow that was prompted from the wolf’s tragic death. As blood stiffens his trousers, the main character seeks to overcome the cold weather and fatigue with hopes of finding the perfect burial site for the wolf. McCarthy uses detailed descriptions and terminology in his novel, The Crossing, to convey the impact of the wolf’s death on the protagonist, a sad experience incorporated with religious allusions and made unique by the main character’s point of view.
Canine tales are becoming an ever-more-popular medium for expression, says Garber: “Just as the pathos of human love and loss is most effectively retold, in modern stories, through the vehicle of the steadfastly loyal and loving dog, so the human hero has increasingly been displaced and replaced by the canine one” (44). The spotlight has been shifted from the larger-than-life human to the humble family pet and his canine brethren. Stories that feature a dog rather than a person are able to more convey a deeper sense of meaning, establishing their...
A sense of belonging and community is essential in finding value and purpose in life. Dogs are naturally social animals that seek to live in packs. In the novel “Fifteen Dogs”, written by André Alexis, the dogs are given human intelligence and are forced to face a difficult question; to embrace this new way of life or revert back to their old nature. The intelligence the dogs gain unites the pack of dogs together, but, it is also what separates them from all other dogs. The introduction of language to the pack creates disorder within the hierarchy of the group which leads to divisions between the dogs.
Dieter Freya, Peter Fischer “Man's Best Friend: How the Presence of a Dog Reduces Mental
Writing in the journal Anthrozoos, Kiesler advocates that, “relationships with animals lead people to explain their behavior in human terms” (340). The study done by Kiesler went after the psychological effects of the ownership in dogs. I agree that, once enough time is spent with an animal, the owner will begin to associate their behavior with human behavior because of how attached the dog will become to the owners life. The time commitment to a dog will give you more than enough time to become attached. The studies done by Kiesler reaffirms Blythe’s work that went further into detail
“The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night Time” is a combination of many styles of story including elements of a detective story, fiction, some comedy moments and a large portion of drama, it also touches on many different themes mainly on family, belonging disability, overcoming adversity, marital stress and the pressures of modern living. The story is told from the perspective of a young boy named Christopher John Francis Boone who has the psychological condition Asperger’s syndrome. The novel follows Christopher’s exploration into the murder of his neighbour’s dog, which uncovers inconvenient truths about his family including the death of his mother and the real identity of the dog’s killer. Through Christopher’s investigation we see
It is around this time that it becomes difficult to put dogs into our typical categories of nature and culture, because although dogs were originally just another part of nature, when we began to domesticate them, we made them something more. In fact, in modern days it is even more difficult as we have begun actively breeding them for specific traits, so much so that many would argue modern dogs are essentially technology. From this it becomes clear how perfectly dogs fit into her idea of a companion
I’ve always felt that animals are the purest spirits in the world. They don’t fake or hide their feelings, and they are the most loyal creatures on Earth and somehow we humans think we’re smarter. I chose this topic about the canine because, some of these canines risk their life’s to protect dog’s best friend.
Thesis Statement: While most owners are aware of the amount of joy and laughter dogs bring to them and their family, they are unaware that their dogs love them unconditionally and can help them have better lives
Armbruster, K. (2002). “Good Dog”: The stories we tell about our canine companions and what they mean for humans and other animals, 38 (4), 351, 26. Retrieved from http://www.siue.edu/PLL/
“A dog is a man’s best friend” goes much deeper than the phrase might initially imply. Recently many medical journals have begun to identify with the many and varied benefits of pet ownership. Men have always relied upon animals for work, transportation, and survival. As times have changed, man has begun to appreciate a different bond with animals. Gone are the days of animals running free outside around the homestead, for now animals are allowed inside and are considered by many to be an integral part of our daily lives! Medical studies have found that animals have a much greater intelligence level than originally thought. Through proper training and experience, animals are not only household pets, but also are becoming an accepted form of medical treatment.
Ones take of this story can be many of sorts. The dog essential may have saved this young child, his father may have chosen to throw him out the window. If the dog wasn’t there to take his place, who is to say what could had happened? It also shows how the dogs undeniable, love, devotion and eagerness to please his master. Eventually these traits, sadly left him resting lifeless in his young master’s arms. The relationships between these characters, is one of who’s pulling the strings. The abuse has been passed down from father to son. This story leaves an emptiness, with the unsettling turn of events.
Since animals, especially dogs, share similar emotions as people they to make great companions. Animals do show us how to love better, because their emotions are more pure than a human's. According to Mary Lou Randour, in "What Animals Can Teach Us About Spirituality", animals are spiritual companions to humans. She tells the story of a boy who, after murdering someone, receives a dog to care for as a form of therapy. The dog comforts him, and the teenager learns to love the animal over time. The boy's pet is "healing his soul" by teaching him how to love. Dogs give their masters unconditional love, never questioning the human's orders or disciplines. I thought the story of the dog appearing in the author's backyard as her dead grandfather was rather outlandish. All of Randour's examples of how animals influence our feelings were viable aside from the disappearing ghost dog.