Dogs are seen as very intelligent animals and seem to understand to some extent the language of their master. In the novel, fifteen dogs, the gods Hermes and Apollo make a bet that if dogs were given human consciousness they would not live a happy life. Once all dogs were given the ability to speak, there was one dog who stood out from the rest. A mutt named Prince. Most dogs were caught up in the struggles of dominance, while Prince is captivated by his new way of analyzing things around him. Prince not only had the ability to speak human language but is distinctive in contrast to the other dogs due to his promising poetry compositions. He is soon driven out of the pack in view of the fact that he has evolved different ways of viewing everyday
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The standard behavior in a dog world would have the dominant over power the weakest of a pack. This hierarchy that is formed throughout the pack is unclear due to not knowing where each dog stands which is an annoyance to Atticus. Atticus, the dominant over the rest of the dogs, does not appreciate Prince and his poetry skills which lead Atticus and the rest of the pack not knowing where he lies within their group. Prince is difficult to place in the hierarchy of the dogs and as a result, he is seen as a threat to Atticus and his troop. “It wasn’t just that Prince was twisting their clear, noble language, it was that Prince had gone beyond the canine. No true dog could have uttered such tripe. Prince was not worthy of being one of them.” (Alexis 29) The language shapes the meanings of the dogs. Atticus wants the pack to ignore their new language abilities and focus on their old regular dog behaviors and in contrast, Prince overlooks what the rest of the pack feels towards him and finds his own meanings within his poems and his gifted comprehension of the world around him. With the new language present, the dogs are more likely to judge and treat the others differently in the pack which leads to the dogs not so much thinking cohesively. They begin to form different morals and this brings detrimental consequences to the pack. Atticus and his dogs begin to form violent behavior to …show more content…
The consciousness inherited to Prince allows himself to discover his self-worth through his poems, even though they anger the other pack members. “Beyond the hills, a master is who knows our secret names. With bell and bones, he’ll call us home, winter fall or spring.” (Alexis 29) The composition of Prince’s poems reveals the true nature of the surroundings which the ability of human language and consciousness have given him and deepens the comprehension and emotions he has toward his surroundings. Prince is a thorough observer of his new world which is the biggest example of distinguishing him from the other dogs. Prince does not abandon his abstract manner of thinking due to the other dogs’ frowning upon him. He clings to his new abilities because he finally understands the “emotional implications and associations that the world may possess.” (Prof Len Diepeveen, Lecture 12) Prince gives the impression that the dogs are meant to signify complex versions of humans. Alexis uses this technique to symbolize that every individual has their own comprehension of the world along with their own emotions and demonstrates this through the character of Prince, who is the only dog who has found his true meaning within
The standard behavior in a dog world would have the dominant over power the weakest of a pack. This hierarchy that is formed throughout the pack is unclear due to not knowing where each dog stands which is an annoyance to Atticus. Atticus, the dominant over the rest of the dogs, does not appreciate Prince and his poetry skills which lead Atticus and the rest of the pack not knowing where he lies within their group. Prince is difficult to place in the hierarchy of the dogs and as a result, he is seen as a threat to Atticus and his troop. “It wasn’t just that Prince was twisting their clear, noble language, it was that Prince had gone beyond the canine. No true dog could have uttered such tripe. Prince was not worthy of being one of them.” (Alexis 29) The language shapes the meanings of the dogs. Atticus wants the pack to ignore their new language abilities and focus on their old regular dog behaviors and in contrast, Prince overlooks what the rest of the pack feels towards him and finds his own meanings within his poems and his gifted comprehension of the world around him. With the new language present, the dogs are more likely to judge and treat the others differently in the pack which leads to the dogs not so much thinking cohesively. They begin to form different morals and this brings detrimental consequences to the pack. Atticus and his dogs begin to form violent behavior to …show more content…
The consciousness inherited to Prince allows himself to discover his self-worth through his poems, even though they anger the other pack members. “Beyond the hills, a master is who knows our secret names. With bell and bones, he’ll call us home, winter fall or spring.” (Alexis 29) The composition of Prince’s poems reveals the true nature of the surroundings which the ability of human language and consciousness have given him and deepens the comprehension and emotions he has toward his surroundings. Prince is a thorough observer of his new world which is the biggest example of distinguishing him from the other dogs. Prince does not abandon his abstract manner of thinking due to the other dogs’ frowning upon him. He clings to his new abilities because he finally understands the “emotional implications and associations that the world may possess.” (Prof Len Diepeveen, Lecture 12) Prince gives the impression that the dogs are meant to signify complex versions of humans. Alexis uses this technique to symbolize that every individual has their own comprehension of the world along with their own emotions and demonstrates this through the character of Prince, who is the only dog who has found his true meaning within