A Dog’s Tale (1903)

AUTHOR: Twain, Mark

KEYWORDS: animals, experimentation, vivisection

Alcott, Louisa May. Under the Lilacs

SUMMARY (Bryn Skibo, edited Deborah Madsen)

This anti-vivisection tale is told from the first-person perspective of the protagonist who is the offspring of a collie (his mother) and a St. Bernard (his father), though he explains that “I am a Presbyterian” (11). Part I describes his mother, “vain and frivolous,” who likes to use big words and fancy phrases in company without knowing what they mean (11); but she is also brave and teaches by example. In Part II, the protagonist is sold away from his “broken-hearted” mother, but she “said men who did like this [be “wise and good”] would have a noble and beautiful reward by and by in another world, and although we animals would not go there, to do well and right without reward would give to our brief lives a worthiness and dignity which in itself would be a reward” (12). In Part III, the protagonist goes to a new home, where she “was the same as a member of the family; and they loved me, and petted me, and did not give me a new name, but called me by my old one that was dear to me because my mother had given it to me – Aileen Mavourneen” (13). The dog has a good life, playing with the children, spending quiet time with the mistress, and visiting other dogs. Eventually, the dog has a puppy, whom she loves.

At some point, the protagonist saves the baby from a burning crib; dragging the baby down the hall, the master hits the dog with his cane and breaks her leg. She hides in the attic for days out of fear of the master; she won’t leave because of her puppy, but she eventually realizes that the family is calling her to forgive her. She returns and is made much of, though the family avoids any consideration of why she limps. At some point in the Winter, the master – a scientist – discusses “optics” with his colleagues. During the Summer, the whole family except the master leaves; the master and his colleagues take the puppy and cut into its head; the protagonist does not quite understand what has happened, but tries to comfort the puppy. It dies and is buried in the backyard; a servant says to the protagonist, “Poor little doggie, you SAVED his child” (19).

The protagonist realizes that the puppy has died and will not come back, and mourns and refuses to eat. Before it dies (which is not narrated), the servants lament the dog’s future death: “‘Those poor creatures! They do not suspect. They will come home in the morning, and eagerly ask for the little doggie that did the brave deed, and who of us will be strong enough to say the truth to them: 'The humble little friend is gone where go the beasts that perish' ” (19).