John Grogan Character Analysis

The most memorable books are those with memorable characters. The most loved characters are those that leave an impact on readers. Being able to identify with the characters allow the readers to feel as if they’re on a journey. Therefore, characters have the ability to change readers’ lives. Authors will often fill their stories with powerful characters to create an unforgettable book. This is exactly what John Grogan did when creating Marley and Me. The book is full of his family members and friends who serve as characters, some being truly unforgettable. Grogan’s use of strong characters is exemplified by the main members of the Grogan family: Jenny, John, and Marley. Jenny, Grogan’s wife, is a also round character whose development …show more content…
Firstly, Grogan was once a young boy who viewed well behaved dogs as the best companions, “Shaun [Grogan’s dog as a young boy] was spirited but controlled, affectionate but calm… He was a perfect dog… It was Shaun who set the standard by which I would judge all other dogs to come” (Grogan x-xi). Grogan believed that dogs were meant to serve people and that they should never be rambunctious; he classified rather boisterous dogs as bad, and he thought he would never have a rowdy dog. When John and Jenny got Marley, Marley was an exuberant puppy; therefore, Grogan was unsure on how well the puppy was going to fit into the family. Throughout the book, Grogan begins to realize that Marley’s unruliness adds a special dynamic to their companionship, “He clambered aboard [Grogan’s toboggan], straddling me, and dropping onto my chest… We clung to each other as we crash-landed into a snowbank…” (223-224). Though the trip into the snowbank was unplanned, it was something the family could laugh about; it was messy but fun. If Marley was a calm dog, he wouldn't have climbed on John; Marley’s wild behavior created amusing memories the Grogan family would never have had otherwise. By the end of the book, Grogan is convinced that the dogs full of mischief are the best companions, “Was it possible for a dog - any dog, but especially a nutty, wildly uncontrollable one like ours - to point humans to …show more content…
For example, one trait Marley possessed was empathy, “Our rambunctious, wired dog stood with his shoulders between Jenny’s knees, his big blocky head resting quietly in her lap… They stayed like that for a long time, Marley statue-still, Jenny clutching him to her like a oversized doll” (Grogan 49). Jenny and John had only seen the energetic side of Marley; as far as they knew, he would jump all over people no matter what. However, after Jenny came home from her abortion, Marley just knew she was hurting; he comforted the young couple as if he understood their exact situation. In addition, Marley was a friend to everyone and everything he saw, “Marley was out in front, chugging forward with every ounce of rippling muscle he had… I saw just where Marley was heading… Fifty feet down the sidewalk, a delicate French poodle lingered at her owner’s side…” (178). This shows that Marley wasn't judgemental; all he wanted to do was spread the joy he felt to others. He always treated everyone and everything he encountered with love and was truly a man’s best friend. Though Marley was friendly, he was not afraid to be protective over his family, “When I looked up, there he stood, ten feet from us, facing the street, in a determined, bull-like crouch I had never seen before… If the armed assailant returned, he would have to get past my dog first” (118-119). John had once thought that