59 pages • 1 hour read
Katherine Applegate, Gennifer CholdenkoDogtown
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2023A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
Dogtown
Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of animal cruelty and ableism.
Dogtown is the titular location and the story’s main setting. In addition, the shelter is a symbol of The Dangers of Inequality. Different parts of Dogtown reflect different aspects of the human/dog hierarchy that exists both within its walls and in the world at large. The main floor and front desk area is the ideal place to be. This is where most dogs are adopted and where Management places the dogs that she believes have the greatest chance of finding a home. By contrast, the basement is where dogs go to be punished or when they are on or headed for the List. Unlike the upstairs, the basement is dark and cold, illustrating that dogs are second-class citizens. Moreover, being placed in the basement lessens a dog’s chance of being adopted because the entrance of the basement is difficult to find; it thus reinforces the hierarchy that exists among the more and less “desirable” dogs of Dogtown. The building’s layout thus suggests both the arbitrary power that humans have over the lives of dogs and how this impacts relations among the dogs themselves.
Dogtown also has more particular meaning for the novel’s two main characters. For Chance and Metal Head, Dogtown is both a prison and a shelter, though in different ways. Chance was brought to Dogtown after she ran away from home, and it has been her new home ever since. Thanks to Mouse’s quick thinking, Chance is a favorite with Management, so while she misses having a human family, she is generally content to stay there. However, once Chance falls out of favor, Dogtown becomes a prison that motivates her to find her family and resolve her character arc. For Metal Head, being in Dogtown initially seems to be a mistake: He believes that he was brought there in error and that going home will fix the problem. However, when Jimmy rejects him, Metal Head realizes that Dogtown is his new home, especially with Quinn there. Metal Head’s willingness to return to Dogtown shows that the presence of family can make even a place that once felt like a prison tolerable.
Green Eggs and Ham
Green Eggs and Ham, a well-known children’s book penned by Dr. Seuss, plays a critical role in Metal Head’s character development and serves as a symbol of teamwork and family. When Metal Head recites the book to Quinn, the two characters form a bond: Quinn finds a new excitement for stories through his reading partnership with Metal Head, while Metal Head finds a new human companion and a renewed sense of purpose (though it takes him some time to realize this). The relationship thus helps both of them thrive, which is key to the novel’s depiction of The Nature of Family.
For Metal Head, Green Eggs and Ham also represents his shifting attitude toward change. Metal Head is initially determined to reunite with Jimmy, but after Jimmy rejects him, he realizes that change doesn’t have to be a negative thing, as it has brought him a new relationship with a human boy.
Green Eggs and Ham also illustrates the importance of treating all beings as individuals. Reading buddy day is set up as an event where children read to dogs. However, Quinn’s struggles with reading make him unwilling to participate in reading buddy day. Having Metal Head read to Quinn opens up the activity to Quinn and ultimately helps him find the drive to practice reading, suggesting that enjoyment is key to success. Quinn’s struggles tacitly offer support for individualized education plans and for allowing children to learn at an appropriate pace for them. Likewise, it subtly comments on the debate about whether listening counts as reading. Hearing Metal Head read aloud allows Quinn to engage with the story in a way he can’t on his own. In doing so, Quinn understands the story and has the experience of reading, supporting the idea that reading comes in many forms.
The Number Three
The number three—often considered a lucky number—is a motif related to Chance’s development. After she was run over by the dog-sitter’s boyfriend, Chance lost a leg, leaving her with three. On the face of it, this seems unlucky, but it forced her to learn new ways of doing things to survive, highlighting her resilience and indomitable will—her ability to create her own “chances.” Similarly, when she first arrived at Dogtown, Chance’s missing leg got her moved to the top of the List. However, after Mouse’s stunt with playing cards made Management think that Chance was lucky, the number three became an asset for Chance. Once again, an apparent liability aided Chance, implying that “luck” is often a matter of perspective and determination and foreshadowing the opportunities she creates for herself.
The other significant instance of the number three involves the book’s main trio of characters: Chance, Mouse, and Metal Head. In the book’s final chapter, Chance acknowledges that she, Mouse, and Metal Head are both friends and a team. The three of them accomplish great things together because their unique skill sets complement one another. As a rodent, for instance, Mouse has faced more danger than Chance and Metal Head, and this puts Mouse in the ideal position to keep the others safe. Mouse sees dangers before the others and steps in as the voice of reason. Altogether, these three show the power of working together, serving as another example of creating one’s own “luck.”
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