Independent Reading: Marley and Me. Entry 1

Summary (Chapter 1-10 [P. 1-91])

            The story of Marley and Me revolves around the lives of newspaper columnist John Grogan, his wife, Jenny, and their Labrador retriever, Marley. As a dog, Marley is exceedingly energetic, rambunctious, and mischievous, but he fills an important role in the newlyweds’ developing family. Despite regularly being disobedient since adoption, Marley remains infallibly loyal to the couple and, through step-by-step miracles, displays docile behaviour that never fails to amaze John. Most notably, when Jenny collapses on the floor after discovering she had miscarried, Marley gently rests on her lap –tail untwitching- and provides an emotional support in the couple’s moment of grief. Through further training with John, Marley develops a better understanding of the expected behaviour of a dog and the couple is graced with another pregnancy to expand the family.

Analytical Paragraph

            One of the themes explored in Marley and Me is the role of parenting and how it is perceived at different stages of life. At the beginning of the story, Jenny is described by John as a cruel plant killer, after overwatering a dieffenbachia that he bought after their marriage. Following their failure to care for a plant, this led the couple to beg the question of whether they could raise a child. After they adopted Marley, the couple became more accustomed to the antics of another living being under their care. Gradually, they both accept the terms of parenthood and even despite initial failure with miscarriage; the couple pulls through with unwavering support from their four-legged companion and finds success in the end. Even in just the first third of the novel, a broad variety of perspectives on parenting is displayed, with even more to be revealed in the rest of the novel.

Personal Response

             Even before I had picked up Marley and Me, I’ve been showered with acclamations and recommendations for both the novel and the movie. It was seemingly inevitable that eventually I would fall upon this story, and now I have. I would say that the novel has lived up to the expectations I’ve harboured from its wide acclamation. The descriptions are universally understandable and do not alienate readers who have never owned dogs or other pets before. As so far, it leaves the reader well at ease to continue reading and following the story.