The Realtionship Between Salamano And His Dog The Stranger By Albert C

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Misery Loves Company
Salamano and his dog have a strange relationship. They are always together and even look similar, but Salamano is constantly beating the dog. One would think that since the dog was Salamano’s only companion then he would treat it better. Salamano and his dog symbolize the absurdity that occurs in our everyday life.
Both the dog and Salamano have reddish scabs and the dog has “sort of taken on his masters stooped look, muzzle down, neck straining”(pg. 27). They’ve been together for eight years, always doing the some routine, so they’ve started to take on each other’s personalities, as well as looks. They say that “misery loves company”- which is exactly the case with Salamano. He got the dog after his wife died, for companionship, but he has never really been happy. He probably figures that if he can’t be happy, then neither can the dog.
The relationship between Salamano and his dog is utterly absurd. They’ve done the same routine day in and day out for eight long years, yet neither one will ever change or learn from their mistakes. Salamano won’t learn to let the dog finish peeing so that it won’t go in the house and the dog won’t learn not to pull the leash. They are both resistant to change, probably because they don’t know anything else, except how to be miserable together.
One of the most absurd things of all is how upset Salamano is when he looses his dog. He doesn’t treat the dog well or appreciate it when it’s there, but is distressed when it is missing. When Meursault suggests that he get a new dog, Salamano replies that he “was used to this one.” It’s not about loving the dog, it was about feeling comfortable and “used to” the routine that they had together.
Many people are resistant to change. They become comfortable with their lives and don’t dare to venture outside of the box.

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