Tobias Mindernickel Character Analysis

773 Words2 Pages

Why is it that we act the way we do and can we blame society for the acts that one commits? In the short story of “Tobias Mindernickel”, we will consider if the inhumanity and condemnation towards Tobias, led him to inflict pain on his dog for his own gratification. Tobias Mindernickel is a strange and unhappy individual who lives in a dingy looking building. Even in the comfort of his room, Tobias would sit on his sofa and “stare at the floor” as if he did not have anything else to do. Tobias rarely left the comfort of his home “for when he did a mob of children would gathered around laughing and mocking him”. The way Tobias carried himself out in public made it obvious that he did not have any courage to stand up for himself. Despite the constant humiliation, Tobias “would bow politely and humbly” to everyone passing him by and even after no one was …show more content…

However, it did not last long as timed pass everything returned to normal. On one of Tobias’s walks, he bought a 4-month puppy and named him “Esau”. As soon as they got home, Tobias began teaching Esau commands. Esau did as told but after a while, he got tired and did not want to comply with Tobias commands. Tobias did not take well to Esau’s disobeys he became angry and sounded more demanding, “You’ve got to come, even if you are tired”, Esau was so tired that he made no efforts to move. Tobias had enough of Esau refusal to listen, so he started beating him with his black stick. Once done beating him, he questioned Esau as if he was human, “may I ask you what you think of your conduct?” Esau just cuddles closer to Tobias and filling pity towards Esau Tobias picks him up and breaks out sobbing “you are my only… my only…” This was not the same Tobias described in the beginning of the story, why would he want to hurt a defenseless creature. Perhaps he is transmitting the cruelty inflicted on him onto

Open Document