A Dark Brown Dog Analysis

A Dark Brown Dog is the story of a young boy who comes across a stray. The boy beats the animal, but still brings it home after he follows him. At first, the family rejects the idea of the dog, but the father demands that it should stay.After a short amount of time the animal becomes completely loyal to the young boy, yet is still beaten by the family and the child. In the end the father throws the small animal out of the window to its death. The most logical approach to this story would be a historical approach. This is because this story can relate greatly to slavery, when slaves were becoming emancipated and the North was fighting the South.

When the young boy first meets the dark brown dog, there is a broken chain around its neck. Not only can the color of the dog relate back to a slave, and not only were they seen as being equivalent to dogs, but the chain could also resemble an emancipated slave. Lost and confused with no where else to go. When the boy strikes the dog, he whimpers but stays and attempts to keep the boy around. He does this by rolling onto his back and placing his paws in a praying motion. This relates to slavery because it was considered normal to beat a slave, and being loyal, that is how they would react. Not necessarily in a praying type of manner, but almost understanding. As the boy begins his walk home, the dog follows and willingly receives beatings on the way home. This would resemble a slave just being loyal to his owner. The small dog is brought home and the young boy forces it into the house. Cautiously, after being overran by the boy, the dog enters. As a slave would entering an unfamiliar home.

After being brought home, the boy and the dog await the family to return. When the family finally ...

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...he leg and tosses him from the window where the helpless animal would fall five stories to its death. Neighbors and children were shocked and astonished. The young boy runs for his beloved friend. And when they find him outside he is glued to the motionless body. This action from the father could represent lynching. The animal was helpless and was basically dropped to his death. Similar to a slave, being helpless and hung. Lynching was also the lowest possible blow you could go about with slaves, and the same goes for throwing the dog out of the window. The master was powerless, and his gestures of equality towards the animal could have been what got him killed.

In conclusion, A Dark Brown Dog had multiple ways of interpreting and many different messages. Throughout the story however, the circumstances and occurrences related more to slavery than anything else.