Denotation/Connotation = Tone and Mood
Below is a poem with very interesting word choices. The title of the poem is "Dog's Death."Be fore you read this poem, I want you ask yourself - What are the title's denotations and connotations? What would be the difference between the tone of the title if Updike had titled it "Good Dog," instead?
Now, Read the poem several times. Define words you don't know the meaning of, check for double meanings. Circle words that are similar to the tone of the title. Which words have the same feel? How does the poem make you feel? Is it similar to the tone caused by the words? Comment on your thoughts in the comments here. (I also suggest you paraphrase the poem)
Dog's Death
by John Updike
She must have been kicked unseen or brushed by a car.
Too young to know much, she was beginning to learn
To use the newspapers spread on the kitchen floor
And to win, wetting there, the words, 'Good dog! Good dog!'
We thought her shy malaise was a shot reaction.
The autopsy disclosed a rupture in her liver.
As we teased her with play, blood was filling her skin
And her heart was learning to lie down forever.
Monday morning, as the children were noisily fed
And sent to school, she crawled beneath the youngest's bed.
We found her twisted and limp but still alive.
In the car to the vet's, on my lap, she tried
To bite my hand and died. I stroked her warm fur
And my wife called in a voice imperious with tears.
Though surrounded by love that would have upheld her,
Nevertheless she sank and, stiffening, disappeared.
Back home, we found that in the night her frame,
Drawing near to dissolution, had endured the shame
Of diarrhoea and had dragged across the floor
To a newspaper carelessly left there. Good dog.
And my wife called in a voice imperious with tears.
Though surrounded by love that would have upheld her,
Nevertheless she sank and, stiffening, disappeared.
Back home, we found that in the night her frame,
Drawing near to dissolution, had endured the shame
Of diarrhoea and had dragged across the floor
To a newspaper carelessly left there. Good dog.
Here is a link to hear it read to you:
"Dog's Death"
ReplyDeletewomen are referred to as dogs, there's a derogatory term for a dog, so it goes along with my thought about it being a girl
"She must have been kicked unseen or brushed by a car.
Too young to know much,"
feel like this could be talking about a young girl, it's a young puppy, she must have been "abused" because she was too young to know the damage that the event had caused.
"We thought her shy malaise was a shot reaction."
you just wanna lay there, cant get up, like when you're sick. You have no ambition to do anything, you feel dead on the inside.
This can be compared to a little girl getting abused because she has no ambition to do anything because this presense has a huge power over her mentally and physically after the "shot"
So this means that she was becoming aware of what was happening
"As we teased her with play, blood..."
At the same time, the dog did a good job at concealing her pain because no one noticed a thing. She kept a "façade", and to go along with abuse, you can't really tell until it's too late
"And her heart was learning to lie down forever."
This is definitely a double-meaning because aside from she was slowly dying, it can mean that the metaphorical girl was learning that love was this abuse, or that she was learning her feelings didn't matter, she was teaching herself that she wasn't the first priority, she was being pushed on
"she crawled beneath the youngest's bed."
This is very symbolic
what is so important about the youngest?
Ah, so she probably had the closest relationship with the youngest
I feel like they used a dog because animals can sense human's feelings.
"Though surrounded by love that would have upheld her,"
I feel like it's double meaning for someone who didn't feel like they belonged, they felt like they couldn't be their true selves
"endured the shame
Of diarrhoea and had dragged across the floor
To a newspaper carelessly left there."
Her attempting to land on the newspaper is this girl attempting to pretend like the problem isn't there, but it's her downfall. She was seen as a good girl because she never complained, and she was also seen as this good girl because before she died, she tried to do everything she was told. It's very depressing because she was too weak from the abuse to keep up the façade, it killed her.
Another crazy thing is that she died from a liver rupture. So this victim, she was only found because of something else...idk how to explain.
it's showing me as unknown, but hi it's mikeicha
The dog is female, but she is a dog. Why call the poem Dog's Death instead of God Dog? Most of the time, a poem is about what it says, it can just be applied to a greater meaning.
DeleteImperious - overbearing, domineering/ the wife’s tears were loud and overbearing, dominating the phone call and conversation
ReplyDeleteDissolution - a dissolving of something/the dog drawing closer to its death, the dissolution of her life
Malaise - discomfort/ the owners figured that the puppy’s malaise was normal, not due to anything out of the ordinary
- The title of the poem “Dog’s Death”
Automatically, the readers know that the poem will feature a death of a dog
If instead the poem had been titled as “Good Dog,” one might not expect the forthcoming death of the dog and instead misinterpret before they even start reading.
The denotation and connotation is the same because the title is true to the poem, the dog does die. In this case, death is not a metaphor for something else.
That is true - other things can be a metaphor for death, but death is not a metaphor for something else, right?
DeleteBefore reading the poem, the title made me think of this song "dog days". These are days when the weather is too hot or days where you are very unproductive (when the senioritis kicks in). Also, Death sets a sad, depressing tone for the poem, dogs dying make people sad so before you even read the poem, you are already sad. A lot of the denotation and connotation added to this melancholy tone. For instance, a lot of the words such as autopsy, sank and endure the shame make me even more upset that the dog died. The author of this poem almost made me believe that the death of this dog was a nuisance. He never talks about the impact the dog had on his life, or even the dog's life before its death. This makes me think that maybe he never really cared for the dog,but just went along with it to make his family happy.This could serve as a bigger metaphor for when you settle for things that make others happy but they actually make them worse in the end. Dogs dying are sad.
ReplyDeletethis is me kait
DeleteKaitlyn - Interesting!You instinct is right, about his language, but I am not sure that it is a nuisance. Could it be he chose those clinical kinds of words for another purpose? Think about it. It is super hard, so don;t feel bad if it doesn't lead to anything just yet.
DeleteThe title demonstrates the dark tone of the overall poem. If the author would have changed the title, I think that the poem would have been more depressing since the reader would not be prepared for the dog death. So by titling Dog’s Death instead of Good Dog it can gives the reader a taste of what the poem is about. The words throughout the poem also are in these softer tone, reflecting the title’s tone. It makes the reader feel sentimental about the dog even if the reader doesn't relate to the situation. Words like “drawing near dissolution” and the line “her heart was learning to lie down forever” reflect on the title's tone by softening the idea of the dog dying to the reader.
ReplyDeleteMalaise- (a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose exact cause is difficult to identify.)Used to describe the state of the dog at the moment.
Imperious-(assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering.) Used to show the wife's tears being overbearing on the phone call.
-Sofia Lanzi
DeleteSofia! Another brilliant observation/interpretation! I love that idea that the poem would have shocked you, and Updike did not want that!I don;t know about the "drawing near dissolution" as sentimental, though. That's almost clinical, sterile, but heart learning to lie down is definitely makes my soul ache. It is supposed to! Good job!!!
DeleteThe title “Dog’s Death” may literally mean a dog is dying. These two words set a tone even before you read the poem. It is blunt, there is no sugarcoating what is going to happen. It sounds depressing and sad because these words form an image maybe of your own dog dying, but if it were changed to “Good Dog”, you would think the poem would be happy and positive. Good Dog has a totally separate connotation than Dog’s death when you just read the title. You would think the poem has nothing to do with death and it may even change the way you feel about the poem. However if the title is “Good Dog”, you would be completely surprised that at the end the dog dies.
ReplyDeleteMalaise: feeling of discomfort, illness or uneasiness
Imperious: assuming power or authority without justification
Dissolution: closing down or dismissal of an assembly, partnership or official body
Wetting: to be touched by liquid, or the dog is going to the bathroom
Lie down: to die or to rest
Twisted: forced out of proper shape or unhealthily abnormal as in the way of thinking
Limp: walk with difficulty or lacking internal strength and structure
The first sentence of the poem where the narrator says that the dog may have been kicked or hit by a car reflects the tone. This negative tone is followed throughout the poem through the description of the dog having diarrhea, blooding filling her skin and her body twisting itself into different positions. Both the tone and the feeling are negative. This poem makes you feel that the family does not care for the dog because they do not notice that she is sick while they play and continue on with their life when she is dying. It also seems as though the family was just giving the dogs the necessities to live like a newspaper just thrown on the ground, but was not showing her any love. By calling her good dog, they are just doing what pet owners should, praise their animals, but they are not making her part of their family.
Olivia! Yes! The tone makes you think they do not notice she is sick! And yes! They should be more observant, and when they see what dignity she has, even in death?!
DeleteBy using the title "Dog's Death", the author sets a precedent for what the story will entail. By choosing a different title, the poem would be misleading. Although it does talk about the dog being good, that does not describe the tone of the poem of capture the true essence and meaning behind the author's writing. Good Dog and Dog's Death have two completely different connotations and by naming the poem Dog's Death, the style of poetry can be understood before the reader jumps into the piece.
ReplyDeleteMalaise = feeling of discomfort
Imperious = assuming power
Dissolution = closing down of an assembly
The word disappeared has a double meaning. The dog is literally disappearing from their lives physically and they are watching her get closer to death. However, they are also watching her soul disappear as she is no longer herself. When they say "her heart was learning to lie down forever", I believe that their hearts are leaning the same. They are learning to accept her rest and for her to be at peace and lay down this memory of her as the dog's heart is accepting it too.
Words that have the same feel as the title of the poem are autopsy, twisted, limp, tears, sank, stiffening, disappeared, dragged and carelessly all have the same negative tone that the title does. By saying "kicked unseen or brushed by a car", the poem immediately starts off with a tone of despair and hurt. When reading this, I feel sad for the dog and it draws up memories of my own experience with pets and the sadness I felt in those moments. A negative tone is prominent throughout the poem and has the power to draw up the emotions of readers.
Sarah!!! You are amazing!!! You say they are learning to accept her rest..." This is beyond insightful. And that it is supposed to bring up our own experiences in loving and losing, is part of the whole point! You are on your way! Great work.
DeleteWhy is the poem titled "Dog's Death" as opposed to "Good Dog?” The latter would make the read even more heartbreaking. The former, on the other hand, makes it seem as if the writer is detached from the animal. This continues on throughout the poem. Words such as “autopsy,” “rupture,” “limp,” and “stiffening” all have textbook, medical connotations. The phrase “imperious with tears” has much less of an emotional impact on readers than “sobbing” would. When I first read the poem, I thought that the narrator chose the words because he did not have an attachment to the deceased dog. However, I now believe that it is the exact opposite. The narrator does not describe the emotional impact of the dog’s passing because he wants to preserve the dignity of her life. The dog, like so many people in our world, suffers silently. The least the narrator, and we, can do is bring justice to her death.
ReplyDeleteP.S. this is Jess :)
DeleteWOW! I am breathless. He has an attachment, right? It is just that he is appreciating her own dignity more in her death, than he ever could have in life. AMazing, Jess.
DeleteFor starter’s, the poem is “Dog’s Death” rather than something like "Good Dog" because Updike is trying to evoke more of an emotional response from the reader. Right from the beginning, before even reading the poem you’re already expecting the tragic event of a dog. As I read through the poem I realized that the poem was not just about the dog’s death but really about any loved one dying. There are so many people in our lives that we just take for granted and we never realize that they’re struggling or hurting until it’s too late. This family never noticed anything wrong with their puppy, not even when it had first gotten hurt as they said, “She must have been kicked unseen or brushed by a car.” Their dog stayed strong down to her last breath as right before she died she tried to bite her owner’s hand trying to play/teeth like everything was normal. The emotion hit the two owners like a train but it was at this time where it was their job to remain strong. They could not falter in final moments of their young puppy as they wanted her to feel loved and cared for before her death. They were returning the favor back to her as she had down for the period of time before.
ReplyDeleteYou are an expert already, Nick. What can I teach you!?
ReplyDeleteDog’s Death, written by John Updike, tells the story of a young puppy who dies after suffering from a ruptured kidney. The dog’s death can represent not knowing the pain someone is enduring, whether physical or emotional, until they are gone, just as the dog suffers completely unknown to her family. At first glance, Updike utilizes very strange, cold language that could initially make it seem as though the narrator has no affection or love for his deceased pet. For example, he uses phrases such as “imperious with tears” rather than sobbing, “brushed by a car” rather than struck or hit, and “drawing near dissolution” rather than passing away. Connotatively, his use of medical language, including words such as “autopsy,” “rupture,” “vet” and “blood” gives the poem a sterile, cold tone. However, while these words may seem to imply a detached, unloving relationship with the dog, the narrator is actually offering his highest form of love and respect. If Updike were to call the poem “Good dog!,” he would have taken the focus off of the dog, instead describing the speaker's feelings and perception of her, rather than creating a tribute completely dedicated to the dog. The narrator tells an objective story of the dog’s life, not once alluding to any emotional connections or impact she had on others, instead of using language and ideas intended to inspire sympathy. In this way, the speaker grants her the most dignity and respect. Through this retelling of the tragic event, the narrator recounts a story of a soul gone sooner than expected, and provides her with a real tribute dedicated exclusively to her and her story.
ReplyDeleteThe title of this poem literally means a dogs death. It turns readers off from the start, creating a devastating ending in the title itself. The tone immediately becomes dark, sad, and heartbreaking.
ReplyDeleteDamn. This is the first word that comes to my mind after reading the poem. The dog was young and pure, just learning to be part of the family. One of the first lines with double meaning is “to lie down forever.” This is a dog command, meaning to lie down. But it also means to die, and the dog was learning how to die. The fourth stanza has this double meaning as well. While driving to the vet, “Though surrounded by love that would have upheld her,
Nevertheless she sank and, stiffening, disappeared.” The words upheld her sounds like the owner is holding on the the dog, but eventually the dog dies and she went limp in her lap. This could also mean that the owners were trying to show their love for the dog, trying to get the dog to hold on until they reached the vet. However, the dog was not able to make it, and finally passed away. Why would the author create such a heartbreaking story? The dog was living with the family. The dog was loved, and was learning how to do things right way, while at the same time, the dog was dying. It's cruel, and devastating.
Matthew T.
With the title of the poem being “Dog’s Death” any animal lover would feel an immediate sense of sorrow. If it were named “Good Dog” instead, the reader might go into the poem expecting a happier result and would feel almost played because the poem ends with the death of a dog. When reading this poem, I saw two sides. At first I saw just a sick dog who was getting worse by the minute. But when rereading it, I noticed how even though the dog was obviously suffering, it was trying to keep its dignity and trying to live to its fullest potential. Even when the dog is in pain, it listens to its owner keeping its obedience and plays with the family. However, words like “kicked unseen”, “twisted”, “limp”, “stiffening” and “shame” make it seem like the family just sees the dog as just an object and not a pet. I almost felt like the dog may have felt like it was a burden to the family so it did not reveal how much pain it was actually in. I think this idea applies to humans in general too. When people are seriously sick they may brush how serious it is under the rug, in fear of bringing the mood and hopes of others down.
ReplyDeleteLauren P
As a dog lover, I was already dreading the outcome going into a piece of poetry titled "Dog's Death". Reading about a dog dying physically pained me, but I knew the connotation of the piece before I read a word based solely off of the title. If this piece were titled "Good Dog", not only would I have gone into the poem with a completely different attitude, but I probably would have been angry when the "Good Dog" died at the end. If the poem had the more positive title, then I feel like the author's intent would not have been clear. Yes, the dog is good, but that is not what the poem is about. This poem is more about this dog's fight to live above anything else. There was such an abrupt change for the dog's family as they had no idea that the dog was sick and it came as quite a surprise to them. In turn, it was not a surprise for the reader because of the title. In this short piece of poetry, I was able to develop a love for this dog as it was described how the dog came into the life of the family, how she got sick, how she fought for her life, and how she eventually died. I was attached emotionally by the title alone, but the word choice and imagery added to my deep investment.
ReplyDeleteJuliana F
This poem is very interesting. Obviously the denotation of the title is that a dog has died. The dog was young and still learning but it’s liver ruptured and it died. The connotations however, could be the ignorance of the family. They had no clue that their dog was dying. They thought the “shy malaise” was just a reaction. This is probably why the poem was given this title. It relates to the depression and the sadness of the situation. If the poem was titled “Good Dog,” the poem was have a positive tone, indicating that the family wanted the dog dead.
ReplyDeleteMichael Tortolani
Ariel Laurendeau
ReplyDeleteIf the title was “Good Dog” instead, I do not think that reader would begin the poem feeling sad. The title being “Dog’s Death” sets the original tone of the poem and it makes it sad. Then, the reader will start the poem already feeling sad and seeing everything in a negative way.
Malaise; a general feeling of discomfort, illness, or uneasiness whose exact cause is difficult to identify.
Imperious; assuming power or authority without justification; arrogant and domineering.
Dissolution; the closing down or dismissal of an assembly, partnership, or official body.
What words are similar to the tone of the title?
Autopsy, died, shame, Blood.
Which words have the same feel?
Stiffening, disappeared, sank, limp, tears, forever
The poem makes me feel sad because I am extremely sympathetic when it comes to dogs. It also makes me very sad when something happens to them. Dogs can be so fragile and helpless at times, especially when ill. Even the thought of something bad happening to a dog saddens me. Also, I truly think that losing a pet can be one of the saddest moments in one's life. It is truly like losing a best friend. Seeing any animal suffer is very sad and seeing them down can be truly heartbreaking. The owner may especially feel worse because that is their dog, their family member.
The way I feel is definitely related to the tone of the words because it is sad and dreary. The tone continues throughout the entire poem because the dog did not make it. She did not pull through and survive like everybody hoped she would.
If the title of this poem was "Good Dog" it would have immediately established that there was a preexisting relationship between the dog and some person. There are many blunt and harsh medical terms used in this poem as well. Medical terms are used to give information rather then incite emotion. Autopsy, ruptured, stiffening. All of these words are hard for people to associate intense emotions with. The speaker wants to ignore all of their emotions to ensure the dog's death has the dignity it deserved. Especially because they it seems they may have not treated the dog with as much care as it deserved. She was "kicked unseen" or "brushed by a car." The word brushed especially was one of those odd words to me. Like being brushed aside. They were almost negligent in a way where a dog being hit by car is like being brushed aside, because they didn't even notice it. So sad :(
ReplyDeleteMariaC
The title describes the poem exactly, a dog’s death. The speaker uses very insensitive words such as: death, limp, twisted, sank, stiffened, disappeared. The speaker also uses medical terms like autopsy and rupture. I noticed that the speaker does not call the dog by her name and along with these emotionless words, I feel as if the speaker hides behind a facade. His wife is expressing all her grief and emotions toward the dog, yet the husband stays composed, lifeless. There are two things that this could mean: first, being that he may truly feel sadness towards the dog, hiding his emotions in order to keep a front. The second might be that he actually does not feel anything for the dog in how the newspaper was left “carelessly” and that the dog was out and kicked/brushed by a car. Just like the title, “Dog’s Death”, the speaker reflects the straightforwardness of the incident, furthering the lack of emotion and sensitivity he feels towards the dog.
ReplyDelete- Inthavha Singharaj
Monday morning is the worst and hardest day of the week, the dog dying on a Monday adds to the sadness and tragic week as no one expects such a horrible thing to happen and or deal with such an event at the start of a new week. In the First line it’s hinting that the owners were not paying attention to the dog as they do not know how exactly the death came about. Were the owners caught up on phones?? Showing that each newer generation is slowly rejecting responsibilities. Looks can be also be deceiving; they played with the dog while it’s body was slowly dying from the inside out without showing any signs; possibility the dog was hiding them as it does not want to hear the words “bad dog”. The dog rather suffered in silence experiencing only symptoms of the illness and not knowing what was happening. In the line of “Heart was learning “- why the use of the word learning, was its heart learning how to die, learning to live or love? Why did the author use of the word shame while talking about the puppy having diaorhhea - why shame it if it’s a natural part of living? It’s a puppy who does not know better as it was learning to go on the newspaper. This type of action usually occurs before death, and to show the dogs goodness he even tried to go on the newspaper. Throughout the poem the author uses medical terminology, could this be to place emphasis on the dog illness and envision it as being a human who is sick, could the dog possibly be compared to a young child? The action of having a bowel movement and learning to go in the newspaper could be of a toddler learning to go on the toilet. Rewarding the dog of good behavior by saying “good dog” could be like rewarding a child as they know they are doing what you want them to do and rewarding them with treats or toys.
ReplyDelete