Marley and Me
Carly Lansche
Marley and Me is a story of a rambunctious young dog, who will never be forgotten. A young couple, John and Jenny, are ready to start their lives together. They decide the first addition to their small family should be a dog, because it is good practice for having children. They wanted a Labrador Retriever, and when they went to adopt the dog, one stood out. They took home Marley, the young puppy that stood out to all the rest.
After taking Marley home, the couple soon realized how crazy he was. It seemed as though his energy was endless, he tore up their house, drooled on their guests, broke through a screen door, and ate almost everything he could, including jewelry. John and Jenny tried everything to settle him down, but nothing would work. As crazy as he was, the couple loved the dog, he didn’t have bad intentions, he had a kind heart.
Through John and Jenny’s first pregnancy and miscarriage, Marley played an important role in their hearts. Marley and Me is a heart warming story of the love between humans and dogs. It is written in first-person, and has a laid back, casual kind of diction. It makes you feel as though you are experiencing what the Grogan family experienced having Marley as their pet.
Subject: The subject of this book is mainly about the love between a dog and a family. It is unique because the reader can connect to it, how you understand the love the family has for Marley, and how they love him while he is obnoxious all at once.
Occasion: The setting of this story is modern times, in a classic American town. The reality of John and Jenny starting a family, and having a crazy dog effects the setting of the story, they have to move houses to accommodate their needs.
Audience: In my opinion, I think that this piece was for anyone who has is kind hearted, and understands the love that takes place in this story.
Purpose: I think that John Grorgan’s purpose for writing this story is almost a healing process. It is a reflection on the good, and the bad of being Marley’s owner, and about life itself.
Style: The style of Marley and Me is personal, casual, and relatable. It is not written to mean anything but what it means. It is to the point, something I love when reading.
Tone: The tone of the author really does just depend on what is happening at the time in the book, for instance when Marley is destroying something you can tell it annoyed him, but you can still tell that he adores Marley and his innocence. When Marley becomes sick, you can tell in the tone of his writing how sad it makes him, and how it hurts him to see Marley like that.
I give Marley and Me, four out of five Marley's.
