In The Zoo: Caesar And The Bear

Want to read the rest of this paper? Join Essayworld today to view this entire essay and over 50,000 other term papers

illustrated characters in this story is Mrs. Placer, or "Gran" for short. The first description we hear of Gran comes from an unidentified person who glorifies her as a woman of "Christian goodness" (p. 1452). In this first paragraph the reader learns that Gran has had tough times herself in the loss of her husband and by single-handedly running a boarding house. Gran seems to be a courteous woman by accepting the care for the orphaned narrator and her sister, but her character is not yet fully developed. This paragraph (p. 1452) is similar to an extent with the image that the narrator paints thereafter. After the narrator lays out her opinion, the reader learns that Gran is indeed somewhat courteous and she seems to be protective of her two adopted children. Gran is a woman of some fame in the little town of Adams and she seems to have more than just a few friends, but although she may have some prestige, the narrator quickly points out that Gran does not know how to ...

Get instant access to over 50,000 essays. Write better papers. Get better grades. Already a member? Login

to an "overbearing, military, efficient, loud-voiced Teuton" (p. 1459). Laddy's name is changed to Caesar, to represent a more dignified identity. As Caesar, the dog becomes the character that clearly defines Gran's nature. As Caesar is remade, the narrator and her sister are gradually stripped of their closest friend. In the end, Gran has the dog trained to listen only to her voice and to be hostile to everyone and everything else. Everyone in town is terrified of Caesar, and will not go near him if it can be avoided. Eventually the Adams police require that Gran muzzle the dog, and warn her that Caesar "would be shot on sight" (p. 1459) if he were to attack anyone else. Gran, who ...

Succeed in your coursework without stepping into a library. Get access to a growing library of notes, book reports, and research papers in 2 minutes or less.

CITE THIS PAGE: