To Dance with the White Dog
One Work Cited Terry Kay writes a stirring novel called To Dance with the White Dog. In the beginning of the novel, the main character, Sam Peek, loses his wife, Cora Peek, to a heart attack. Soon after, Sam begins to see a mysterious white dog that hides from everyone, including his children. Kay never reveals if White Dog is in fact real or simply a figment of Sam Peek's imagination, but several plot elements lead a reader to believe that White Dog is in fact a real animal[b1].
Kay's use of flashback through journal entries, memories, and near climax moments allows the reader to understand Sam Peek's life story, the loneliness Peek experiences after his wife's death and question the reality of white dog. White Dog, who Sam refers to as a girl, seems to fill the void left by Sam's wife. Sam tries to show White Dog to his children and they are unable to see her. A game ensues between Sam and his daughters concerning White Dog, which further leads to the question of White Dog's existence[b2].
A key clue, that leads a reader to assume that white dog is real, comes in the form of a journal entry in which Sam remembers, "Cora and I had a dog that looked just like White Dog when we lived in Tampa, right after we were married. She also tired to hide from everybody but us (30[b3])." In this case, the dog is real and would only hide from other people, just like White Dog tends to do with other people beyond Sam[b4]. Frosty's similarity to White Dog also implies White Dog's infallible realism.
Another key instance, that solidifies White Dog's reality, occurs when the story creates a near climax with Sam's fall due to the infection in his hip. When Sam's children bring him home, they finally see White Dog for the first time. "My God. Look at that. I told you, Kate said softly. I told you." (90)." Because someone other than Sam can see White Dog, therefore White Dog is real[b5].
Therefore through the use of journal entries, near climactic events, and the post traumatic experiences of Sam's family,
The Dog Heads accept the settlement, which includes the returning of the hostages. Madame is reunited with Lin and Yü, her only surviving children. The Chinese General Feng Jung arrives to discuss terms of a treaty; meanwhile his son, Feng Pao and redbird become acquainted. They discover they have much in common, including a love for books. Redbird says "For the first time in a long while I don't feel lonely." Feng Pao then goes off with the other Chinese survivors to rebuild the colony town. Life is at peace once again. "The sunlight is shining off the water below like scales, and the rive looks like a great dragon dancing for joy around our village… So full of Kingfishers. They're circling around. Its almost like part of the sky broke and pieces are swirling around us. I feel all warm inside. And safe. And happy. I can almost feel Father with us, grinning again."
He demonstrates his aunt’s willingness to help writing: “‘I know that things are bad between you and your mom right now, and I just want you to know that I am on your side.’” Her generosity made a great impression on Andrews. He extends this thought further when he writes “‘And in the meantime, if you ever need to get away, my house is always open to you. And to Darian, too.’” The trust his aunt placed in him influenced him hugely in his life. He continues to impress this point recording: “I was grateful but shocked. She and Mom were really close, and for Susan to go behind Mom’s back like that was huge.” He used emotional change in order to exhibit how moved he was by the support he received from his family members even if it was only one ally who was on his side from the start. This abundant amount of assistance from his aunt causes the audience to empathize by relating personal experiences from their own families to the
The novel The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time explores the concept of truth and lies through the eyes of Christopher, the main character, who has autism. His narrative perspective only allows the reader to understand what his own mind is capable of understanding such as his views on lying, facial
Through the novel Birdie Lee challenges herself to confront her own awareness of self, to understand her families blackness through the gaze of whiteness. Birdies physical appearance is known as a straight hair and pale child, which gave her an identity that is more closely to the whiteness within her family. Whenever she is in the presence of both her father and Cole, she often felt that she disappeared and becomes invisible. Cole existence “was the proof that his blackness hadn’t been completely blanched” (Senna 1998, p.56).
Lockridge, Ernest. Twentieth century interpretations of The great Gatsby: a collection of critical essays. Englewood Cliffs, N.J.: Prentice-Hall, 1968. Print.
I remember never believing that whites were really real… Whitefolks couldn't be people because their feet were too small, their skin too white and see-throughy, and they didn't walk on the balls of their feet the way people did- they walked on their heels like horses.
Trilling, Lionel. "F. Scott Fitzgerald." Critical Essays on Scott Fitzgerald's "Great Gatsby." Ed. Scott Donaldson. Boston: Hall, 1984. 13-20.
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...
The color white appeared many times throughout the book. It is used in the first chapter by Nick when he sees Daisy and Jordan in East Egg. “They were both in white and their dresses were rippling and fluttering as if they had just been blown back in after a short flight around the house.” (Pg. 8) In this passage, white is used to describe Daisy’s and Jordan’s innocence and purity. However, in page 24 the real characteristics of Daisy are revealed, “Our white girlhood was passed together there our beautiful white”, this tells us that when Daisy was younger she was innocent, but now she has changed.
What comes to mind when one thinks of the word ‘puppy’? It is probable describe a puppy as a lovable, adorable, and cuddly companion. However, one might also identify the animal as a menace and a liability or even as a delicious source of food. Why does this single word hold so many meanings? One’s past experiences and biases influences these conflicting views and attitudes. For instance, an individual’s fond view of puppies may exist because they were raised with puppies and consequently grew affectionate toward the animals. On the contrary, if another individual has not bonded with puppies as pets, then they will share the latter point of view. In the short story “Puppy” by George Saunders, the multiple characters view single events and objects with contrasting perceptions. Therefore, instead of painting a precise picture of the characters and the plot, the story expresses several views regarding the morals of the characters, the motivations of their actions, and the meaning of the events that take place. In “Puppy”, George Saunders explores the theory that perception is not an elementary, universal definition of an object or idea, but a complex interpretation that is influenced by one’s unique and varying past experiences and opinions. The complexity of perception is evident in one the story’s narrator’s, Marie’s, vantage point.
is kind of you. Remind me to buy you a drink when I see you’.
Sutton, Brian. "Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby." Explicator 59.1 (Fall 2000): 37-39. Rpt. in Twentieth-Century Literary Criticism. Ed. Linda Pavlovski. Vol. 157. Detroit: Gale, 2005. Literature Resources from Gale. Web. 15 Jan. 2014.
Trilling, Lionel. "F. Scott Fitzgerald." Critical Essays on Scott Fitzgerald's "Great Gatsby." Ed. Scott Donaldson. Boston: Hall, 1984. 13-20.
Dog’s Death instantly captured my attention because of the tone that was set with the opening line. “She must have been kicked unseen or brushed by a car” (Updike, 1953). The line ultimately lets the reader know that the poem is about to be sad, and you are going to feel one or more emotions before you are done with the poem. “Notice how particular details in Frost's and Updike's poems about dogs are used to evoke initial feelings—feelings that set the stage for thinking that eventually touches profoundly on matters beyond the welfare of animals” (Clugston, 2010). Along with the tone, Updike draws on your imagination to bring the images to the forefront. For example, “To use the newspapers spread on the kitchen floor and to win, wetting there, the words, "Good dog! Good dog!" (Updike, 1953).
The dog quotes other characters whose presence is questioned by the woman. The referred-to characters are her lover, family members, and enemy. The poem is essentially a dialogue between the woman and her dog. She is astounded to sense that someone is “digging” on her grave, and is disappointed every time she provides an anxious guess. The woman’s first guess is her lover, and asks if he is planting a rut on her grave.