The Role of Death In Providing Incentive to Live An Enjoyable, Fulfilling Life: Analyzing 'Fifteen Dogs' Victoria Dmitruczyk 12th Grade

Every minute, approximately 105 individuals die. Each of these people represent a story of a life lived, and each death reminds their respective company of the finite time every human has on Earth. Although some may argue that death is a terrifying, good-for-nothing process that must be eradicated, the novel Fifteen Dogs by André Alexis takes a different approach to the concept of fatality. Through the perspective of fifteen dogs suddenly granted human consciousness and language, Fifteen Dogs argues that death adds value to one’s life as a result of a heightened sense of urgency to experience things, find belonging through relationships, and leave behind a legacy. Examining these issues through the implementation of a psychoanalytical lens, in which the character’s desires and anxieties are investigated, and an archetypal lens, in which history, cultural myths, and commonly recognized symbolism provide a deeper insight into the actions of the characters, provides further confirmation of this argument.

The existence of death provides a heightened sense of awareness of an individual’s mortality, prompting them to want to live their lives as enjoyably as possible. Examining this issue through a psychoanalytical lens demonstrates...