The loaded dog analysis. The Loaded Dog: Themes, Techniques & Analysis 2022-10-20

The loaded dog analysis Rating: 7,9/10 1131 reviews

The Loaded Dog is a short story by Australian writer Henry Lawson that tells the tale of three gold miners and their loyal dog, Andy. Set in the Australian outback during the gold rush of the late 1800s, the story explores themes of friendship, loyalty, and the human-animal bond.

At the beginning of the story, we are introduced to the three miners: Tom, Jack, and Peter. They are working hard in their claim, but their efforts are not yielding much gold. In an effort to improve their luck, they decide to bring in a new member to their team: Andy, a loyal and hardworking dog.

Andy proves to be an asset to the team, helping to haul equipment and supplies and even assisting with the search for gold. However, he also causes some trouble when he digs up a stick of dynamite, thinking it is a bone. The miners are able to disarm the dynamite and avoid a disaster, but they are left with the question of what to do with it.

After much discussion, they decide to use the dynamite to create a clever trap for a wild dog that has been terrorizing the area. They attach the dynamite to a bait of sausages and set it off, successfully killing the wild dog and earning the gratitude of the other miners in the camp.

However, their celebration is short-lived as they soon realize that Andy has also been killed in the explosion. The miners are devastated by the loss of their loyal companion and friend, and the story ends with a poignant tribute to Andy and the bond he shared with his human companions.

The Loaded Dog is a poignant and heartwarming tale that highlights the enduring bond between humans and animals. Through the character of Andy, Lawson explores the idea that animals can be just as loyal and hardworking as their human counterparts, and that they deserve our respect and appreciation. The story also touches on the theme of friendship, as the miners are shown to be deeply bonded by their shared experiences and the loss of Andy is a poignant reminder of the importance of the relationships we have with those around us.

In conclusion, The Loaded Dog is a thought-provoking and moving story that explores themes of loyalty, friendship, and the human-animal bond. Its memorable characters and powerful themes make it a classic tale that will continue to resonate with readers for years to come.

The Loaded Dog Analysis

the loaded dog analysis

. Shenanigans and A Gold Mine Australian author Henry Lawson wrote the humorous short story 'The Loaded Dog' in 1901. Tommy is loyal to the men, never doubting their sincerity. Domination is also a way to deal with the harsh realities of the bush. Dave, Andy and Jim hightail it. He seemed to take life, the world, his two-legged mates, and his own instinct as a huge joke.

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The Loaded Dog by Henry Lawson (1867

the loaded dog analysis

For one thing, it must be impenetrable to the water. Both of these poems are about life without the men that have 'gone a-droving' in Queensland. It is as though they are living on the edge of nowhere without any of the comforts an individual would be accustomed to. Connell begins by… Pit Bulls Reality: Dog-aggression and people-aggression are two distinctive traits and should not be confused. Nonetheless, his curiosity about the cartridge draws him out of his lair - eventually leading him to his downfall.

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The Loaded Dog Symbols, Allegory and Motifs

the loaded dog analysis

For half an hour or so after the explosion there were several Bushmen round behind the stable who crouched, doubled up, against the wall, or rolled gently on the dust, trying to laugh without shrieking. Lawson begins to draw out the irony of torture and greed. At other times, the narrator subtly reflects the peculiarities of the cultural environment through judicious use of idiom and patois. Tommy is also interesting as his perseverance matches that of his three owners. He explained afterwards that he thought he heard the pan spluttering extra, and looked to see if the chops were burning.

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The Loaded Dog: Summary & Quotes

the loaded dog analysis

The result was usually an ugly pot-hole in the bottom of the shaft and half a barrow-load of broken rock. He draws on the tradition of oral storytelling to make the bush come alive through colloquial language and idiom. And there, close behind him, was the retriever with the bomb held tightly in his mouth - showing his broadest and silliest smile. Andy Page Like his friend Dave, Andy likes fishing. The inner skin was of stout calico; Andy stuck the end of a six-foot piece of fuse well down in the powder and bound the mouth of the bag firmly to it with whipcord. Nothing can be taken for granted while Dave, Andy and Jim are working.

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The Loaded Dog Themes

the loaded dog analysis

Tommy saw his danger--he'd had experience from this dog--and started out and across the yard, still sticking to the cartridge. And yet despite this imagery of personification, Tommy manifests himself as quite unlike the humans through behavior. You can train a dog better than a cat. Tommy does not give up when he has the cartridge in his mouth. Let's examine the literary techniques and themes used in this story.

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The Loaded Dog

the loaded dog analysis

It has intimidated Tommy in the past and despite many attempts by the bushmen to remove it from the kitchen, it remains there. The 1950s were a time of change, and Australian Literature changed too, from aggrandizing the increasingly rare 'Dundee's, to noting the average Australian living in suburbia with the other four-fifths of the population. There are some tense moments as the dog runs toward people and buildings with a lit explosive. This may be important as it suggests just how dangerous life in the bush can be for those who live there. What my dog has taught me Humans are basically social animals, and in learning to coexist more peacefully, our pets could teach us a thing or two. The cartridge thus is also the means by which nature gets its revenge.

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Lawson's "Drovers Wife" and "The Loaded Dog": Themes of...

the loaded dog analysis

Mateship is a vital aspect of Australian bush life, and good humour is necessary to maintain sanity in the isolated, dry environment. Connell begins instilling this fear by setting the stage about the dangerous island that Rainsford eventually lands on. Tommy dropped the cartridge, gave one terrified yell, and took to the Bush. Droving is one of the original stereotypes of Australia, and is an important part of our identity. Two of them went home, to the place where they were born, thirty miles away, and reached it the same night and stayed there; it was not till towards evening that the rest came back cautiously to make inquiries. That makes Tommy a 'loaded' dog.

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Humour In Lawson's The Loaded Dog

the loaded dog analysis

There is always a rich reef supposed to exist in the vicinity; the only questions are whether it is ten feet or hundreds beneath the surface, and in which direction. The party were fond of fish, and Andy and Dave of fishing. Just Deserts Andy, Dave, and Jim exploit the environment as miners to make a profit. Although this topic has been well-written in various genres, this essay will compare the different interpretations of this amazing human-canine relationship through two distinguish genres: the heartbreaking movie Hachi: A Dog's Tale and the article "The Science of a Friendship" from the science magazine Scientific American Mind might be interesting and informative. When the smoke and dust cleared away, the remains of the nasty yellow dog were lying against the paling fence of the yard looking as if he had been kicked into a fire by a horse and afterwards rolled in the dust under a barrow, and finally thrown against the fence from a distance. Jim Bently said it was big enough to blow the bottom out of the river.


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