A Dark Brown Dog Short Story Analysis With Summary And Theme

A Dark Brown Dog – This article will tell you the short story entitled, “A Dark Brown Dog” by Stephen Crane with story analysis, A Dark Brown Dog summary and theme in English. What is the theme, summary, plot, setting, character and point of view of A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane?

A Dark Brown Dog Short Story Analysis with Summary and Theme
A Dark Brown Dog Short Story Analysis with Summary and Theme

A Dark Brown Dog

A Child was standing on a street-corner. He leaned with one shoulder against a high board-fence and swayed the other to and fro, the while kicking carelessly at the gravel.

Sunshine beat upon the cobbles, and a lazy summer wind raised yellow dust which trailed in clouds down the avenue. Clattering trucks moved with indistinctness through it. The child stood dreamily gazing.

After a time, a little dark-brown dog came trotting with an intent air down the sidewalk. A short rope was dragging from his neck. Occasionally he trod upon the end of it and stumbled.

He stopped opposite the child, and the two regarded each other. The dog hesitated for a moment, but presently he made some little advances with his tail. The child put out his hand and called him. In an apologetic manner the dog came close, and the two had an interchange of friendly pattings and waggles. The dog became more enthusiastic with each moment of the interview, until with his gleeful caperings he threatened to overturn the child. Whereupon the child lifted his hand and struck the dog a blow upon the head.

This thing seemed to overpower and astonish the little dark-brown dog, and wounded him to the heart. He sank down in despair at the child’s feet. When the blow was repeated, together with an admonition in childish sentences, he turned over upon his back, and held his paws in a peculiar manner. At the same time with his ears and his eyes he offered a small prayer to the child.

Presently he struggled to his feet and started after the child.
He looked so comical on his back, and holding his paws peculiarly, that the child was greatly amused and gave him little taps repeatedly, to keep him so. But the little dark-brown dog took this chastisement in the most serious way, and no doubt considered that he had committed some grave crime, for he wriggled contritely and showed his repentance in every way that was in his power. He pleaded with the child and petitioned him, and offered more prayers.

At last the child grew weary of this amusement and turned toward home. The dog was praying at the time. He lay on his back and turned his eyes upon the retreating form.

Presently he struggled to his feet and started after the child. The latter wandered in a perfunctory way toward his home, stopping at times to investigate various matters. During one of these pauses he discovered the little dark-brown dog who was following him with the air of a footpad.

The child beat his pursuer with a small stick he had found. The dog lay down and prayed until the child had finished, and resumed his journey. Then he scrambled erect and took up the pursuit again.

On the way to his home the child turned many times and beat the dog, proclaiming with childish gestures that he held him in contempt as an unimportant dog, with no value save for a moment. For being this quality of animal the dog apologized and eloquently expressed regret, but he continued stealthily to follow the child. His manner grew so very guilty that he slunk like an assassin.

When the child reached his door-step, the dog was industriously ambling a few yards in the rear. He became so agitated with shame when he again confronted the child that he forgot the dragging rope. He tripped upon it and fell forward.

The child attempts to drag the dark brown dog
The child sat down on the step and the two had another interview. During it the dog greatly exerted himself to please the child. He performed a few gambols with such abandon that the child suddenly saw him to be a valuable thing. He made a swift, avaricious charge and seized the rope.

He dragged his captive into a hall and up many long stairways in a dark tenement. The dog made willing efforts, but he could not hobble very skillfully up the stairs because he was very small and soft, and at last the pace of the engrossed child grew so energetic that the dog became panic-stricken. In his mind he was being dragged toward a grim unknown. His eyes grew wild with the terror of it. He began to wiggle his head frantically and to brace his legs.

The child redoubled his exertions. They had a battle on the stairs. The child was victorious because he was completely absorbed in his purpose, and because the dog was very small. He dragged his acquirement to the door of his home, and finally with triumph across the threshold.

Presently he struggled to his feet and started after the child.
No one was in. The child sat down on the floor and made overtures to the dog. These the dog instantly accepted. He beamed with affection upon his new friend. In a short time they were firm and abiding comrades.

When the child’s family appeared, they made a great row. The dog was examined and commented upon and called names. Scorn was leveled at him from all eyes, so that he became much embarrassed and drooped like a scorched plant. But the child went sturdily to the center of the floor, and, at the top of his voice, championed the dog. It happened that he was roaring protestations, with his arms clasped about the dog’s neck, when the father of the family came in from work.

The parent demanded to know what the blazes they were making the kid howl for. It was explained in many words that the infernal kid wanted to introduce a disreputable dog into the family.

A family council was held. On this depended the dog’s fate, but he in no way heeded, being busily engaged in chewing the end of the child’s dress.

The affair was quickly ended. The father of the family, it appears, was in a particularly savage temper that evening, and when he perceived that it would amaze and anger everybody if such a dog were allowed to remain, he decided that it should be so. The child, crying softly, took his friend off to a retired part of the room to hobnob with him, while the father quelled a fierce rebellion of his wife. So it came to pass that the dog was a member of the household.

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He and the child were associated together at all times save when the child slept. The child became a guardian and a friend. If the large folk kicked the dog and threw things at him, the child made loud and violent objections. Once when the child had run, protesting loudly, with tears raining down his face and his arms outstretched, to protect his friend, he had been struck in the head with a very large saucepan from the hand of his father, enraged at some seeming lack of courtesy in the dog. Ever after, the family were careful how they threw things at the dog. Moreover, the latter grew very skillful in avoiding missiles and feet. In a small room containing a stove, a table, a bureau and some chairs, he would display strategic ability of a high order, dodging, feinting and scuttling about among the furniture. He could force three or four people armed with brooms, sticks and handfuls of coal, to use all their ingenuity to get in a blow. And even when they did, it was seldom that they could do him a serious injury or leave any imprint.

But when the child was present, these scenes did not occur. It came to be recognized that if the dog was molested, the child would burst into sobs, and as the child, when started, was very riotous and practically unquenchable, the dog had therein a safeguard.

However, the child could not always be near. At night, when he was asleep, his dark-brown friend would raise from some black corner a wild, wailful cry, a song of infinite lowliness and despair, that would go shuddering and sobbing among the buildings of the block and cause people to swear. At these times the singer would often be chased all over the kitchen and hit with a great variety of articles.

Sometimes, too, the child himself used to beat the dog, although it is not known that he ever had what could be truly called a just cause. The dog always accepted these thrashings with an air of admitted guilt. He was too much of a dog to try to look to be a martyr or to plot revenge. He received the blows with deep humility, and furthermore he forgave his friend the moment the child had finished, and was ready to caress the child’s hand with his little red tongue.

When misfortune came upon the child, and his troubles overwhelmed him, he would often crawl under the table and lay his small distressed head on the dog’s back. The dog was ever sympathetic. It is not to be supposed that at such times he took occasion to refer to the unjust beatings his friend, when provoked, had administered to him.

He did not achieve any notable degree of intimacy with the other members of the family. He had no confidence in them, and the fear that he would express at their casual approach often exasperated them exceedingly. They used to gain a certain satisfaction in underfeeding him, but finally his friend the child grew to watch the matter with some care, and when he forgot it, the dog was often successful in secret for himself.

So the dog prospered. He developed a large bark, which came wondrously from such a small rug of a dog. He ceased to howl persistently at night. Sometimes, indeed, in his sleep, he would utter little yells, as from pain, but that occurred, no doubt, when in his dreams he encountered huge flaming dogs who threatened him direfully.

His devotion to the child grew until it was a sublime thing. He wagged at his approach; he sank down in despair at his departure. He could detect the sound of the child’s step among all the noises of the neighborhood. It was like a calling voice to him.

The scene of their companionship was a kingdom governed by this terrible potentate, the child; but neither criticism nor rebellion ever lived for an instant in the heart of the one subject. Down in the mystic, hidden fields of his little dog-soul bloomed flowers of love and fidelity and perfect faith.

The child was in the habit of going on many expeditions to observe strange things in the vicinity. On these occasions his friend usually jogged aimfully along behind. Perhaps, though, he went ahead. This necessitated his turning around every quarter-minute to make sure the child was coming. He was filled with a large idea of the importance of these journeys. He would carry himself with such an air! He was proud to be the retainer of so great a monarch.

One day, however, the father of the family got quite exceptionally drunk. He came home and held carnival with the cooking utensils, the furniture and his wife. He was in the midst of this recreation when the child, followed by the dark-brown dog, entered the room. They were returning from their voyages.

He was the picture of a little dark-brown dog en route to a friend.
The child’s practiced eye instantly noted his father’s state. He dived under the table, where experience had taught him was a rather safe place. The dog, lacking skill in such matters, was, of course, unaware of the true condition of affairs. He looked with interested eyes at his friend’s sudden dive. He interpreted it to mean: Joyous gambol. He started to patter across the floor to join him. He was the picture of a little dark-brown dog en route to a friend.

The head of the family saw him at this moment. He gave a huge howl of joy, and knocked the dog down with a heavy coffee-pot. The dog, yelling in supreme astonishment and fear, writhed to his feet and ran for cover. The man kicked out with a ponderous foot. It caused the dog to swerve as if caught in a tide. A second blow of the coffee-pot laid him upon the floor.

Here the child, uttering loud cries, came valiantly forth like a knight. The father of the family paid no attention to these calls of the child, but advanced with glee upon the dog. Upon being knocked down twice in swift succession, the latter apparently gave up all hope of escape. He rolled over on his back and held his paws in a peculiar manner. At the same time with his eyes and his ears he offered up a small prayer.

But the father was in a mood for having fun, and it occurred to him that it would be a fine thing to throw the dog out of the window. So he reached down and grabbing the animal by a leg, lifted him, squirming, up. He swung him two or three times hilariously about his head, and then flung him with great accuracy through the window.

The soaring dog created a surprise in the block. A woman watering plants in an opposite window gave an involuntary shout and dropped a flower-pot. A man in another window leaned perilously out to watch the flight of the dog. A woman, who had been hanging out clothes in a yard, began to caper wildly. Her mouth was filled with clothes-pins, but her arms gave vent to a sort of exclamation. In appearance she was like a gagged prisoner. Children ran whooping.

The dark-brown body crashed in a heap on the roof of a shed five stories below. From thence it rolled to the pavement of an alleyway.

The child in the room far above burst into a long, dirge like cry, and toddled hastily out of the room. It took him a long time to reach the alley, because his size compelled him to go downstairs backward, one step at a time, and holding with both hands to the step above….they found him seated by the body of his dark-brown friend.

When they came for him later, they found him seated by the body of his dark-brown friend.

The Short story entitled, “A Dark Brown Dog,” is from americanliterature.com

A Dark Brown Dog Story Analysis

A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane Analysis is a precise analysis of the short story to further understand its underlying message. Allow us to indulge ourselves by delving into the great story analysis of the story A Dark Brown Dog.

TitleA Dark Brown Dog
AuthorStephen Crane
Publication Date1901
SettingThe story called “A Dark Brown Dog” begins in the street, where the boy meets the dark brown dog for the first time. The rest of the story takes place in the small boy’s house.
ThemeThe key themes of “A Dark Brown Dog” include enslavement and surrender, complicity, and power imbalance.
GenreShort story
Moral LessonThe moral of the story “A Dark Brown Dog,” is that cruelty always results in bad consequences.
CharactersThe Dog, A Child, The Father, The Family, and The Neighbors.
SummaryIn A Dark Brown Dog summary, A street dog befriends a young boy. The boy likes the dog but often beats him home. The dog follows him home, cowering and begging pardon. This happens on the way home. When the child brings him home, there is further fighting. When the family returns home, they debate whether or not to keep the dog. Since everyone wants the dog to leave, the father lets it stay.

The youngster must now protect the dog from the other family members who feel obligated to kick and beat it. Depending on his mood, the boy seeks out the dog for comfort or abuse. Despite this, the dog finds solace in the boy’s stability, feeding, and love. Dad became drunk and rowdy one day. The boy notices and dives for shelter, but the dog doesn’t. He kicks and abuses the dog with a coffee pot. To protect the dog, the child rushes forward. He lifts the dog and throws it. The boy rushes to the dead dog and sits for hours.
A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane Short Story Analysis
A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane Short Story Analysis With A Dark Brown Dog Summary, Characters, And Theme

A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane

After the Civil War, Stephen Crane was born on November 1st, 1871, which was six years after it ended. He was an American author of novels and short stories and a poet as well. Yet, his fame and fortune were linked to that war. Though he didn’t fight in the war himself, he wrote stories about the battlefield that were so realistic that veterans who read his work 30 years after the war was over said they loved it because it was so true to life and could make them feel and see what it was like to be in a war.

The Hectic Career of Stephen Crane | The New Yorker
Stephen Crane

A Dark Brown Dog is one of the best short stories ever written. It’s well-known to short story fans. Crane isn’t as well-known for his short stories, poems, and essays, but the modern reader will find that he did a lot of good work that isn’t in his best-known novel.

A big part of Crane’s success was that he was able to achieve tensions between humor and pity or hope and despair, or between illusion and reality, or between irony and pity. Great stylist: Crane was very good at making things look like they’re not the same thing at all.

A Dark Brown Dog Theme

The key themes of “A Dark Brown Dog” include enslavement and surrender, complicity, and power imbalance.

A Dark Brown Dog Genre

A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane is a short story. In 1893, Stephen Crane wrote this sad but important story about the Jim Crow South. It was published in 1901, and it’s important to know about it.

The dog, as the main character in the story, is also an allegory for the trials suffered by emancipated slaves. The title emphasizes the dog’s role in the story while also highlighting the social role of color during the time the story was written.

A Dark Brown Dog Moral Lesson

The moral of the story “A Dark Brown Dog,” is that cruelty always results in bad consequences.

A Dark Brown Dog Characters

Time needed: 2 minutes

Here are the characters in the short story, A Dark Brown Dog by americanliterature.com.

  1. The Dog

    The story’s protagonist is an abused dog befriended by a mainly good-hearted child. Symbolically, he represents a man just released from slavery (his dragging leash). He stumbles over the leash, stuck in the slave mentality. He befriends the Child, who dragged him home, where awful things happen.

  2. A Child

    A little child protects a stray dog by befriending and abusing it. It is implied in Crane’s story that the Child does not treat the dog as he deserves and cannot protect the dog from more strong forces (his father/Jim Crow laws).

  3. The Father

    The enraged, abusive father who decides to keep the dog in the house despite the family’s protests. Despite the Child’s protests, he is responsible for the Dog’s death.

  4. The Family

    Crane doesn’t say much in the story more than “they made a great row” when the Dog first emerged. The wife may represent the North and federal laws. There is no dialogue, indicating the father’s tacit acceptance of the dog’s abuse. In protest, only the youngster may scream. Like the federal government, the wife is complicit in the cruelty.

  5. The Neighbors

    The only thing they do in the story is watch as a dog is thrown to his death. It looked like one of them had clothes pins in her mouth. Because they didn’t do anything to stop the abuse, they were part of it (though they must have heard the dog and child wailing).

A Dark Brown Dog Summary

In A Dark Brown Dog summary, A street dog befriends a young boy. The boy likes the dog but often beats him home. The dog follows him home, cowering and begging pardon. This happens on the way home. When the child brings him home, there is further fighting. When the family returns home, they debate whether or not to keep the dog. Since everyone wants the dog to leave, the father lets it stay. 

The youngster must now protect the dog from the other family members who feel obligated to kick and beat it. Depending on his mood, the boy seeks out the dog for comfort or abuse. Despite this, the dog finds solace in the boy's stability, feeding, and love. Dad became drunk and rowdy one day. The boy notices and dives for shelter, but the dog doesn't. He kicks and abuses the dog with a coffee pot. To protect the dog, the child rushes forward. He lifts the dog and throws it. The boy rushes to the dead dog and sits for hours.

More Stories To Enjoy

Aside from A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane Story, A Dark Brown Dog Summary Analysis, here are more stories for you and your children to enjoy.

This short story, called “A Dark Brown Dog is written by Stephen Crane. In the A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane summary and analysis, this story is symbolic fiction in which the actual events and characters are allegorical references to historical events and convey social criticism by the author.

Based on A Dark Brown Dog by Stephen Crane Short Analysis With A Dark Brown Dog Summary, Characters, And Theme, in this story, A Dark Brown Dog depicts the conflicts and challenges after the American Civil War. It is an example of an allegory that also talks about oppression and freedom.

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