Essay Questions

What is the significance of the character Jack in the novel?

Jack is the story's protagonist and is significant because he represents the light at the end of the tunnel. Sharon Creech strategically positions Jack as a hopeless person at the novel's beginning. Initially, Jack is depicted as a dull and gloomy child. However, when Jack accepts his circumstances and appreciates his life and those around him, he becomes a star in his class. Jack's poems attract the attention of renowned poets like Walter Dean Myers. Consequently, Screech shows readers that no matter how hopeless life is, it is important to remain positive and work hard on our weaknesses for a better future.

How does the author symbolize Jack’s fear and confusion?

The blue car that hit and killed Jack’s dog symbolizes his fear and confusion. When Jack starts writing poems about his dog, he primarily focuses on the blue car to remind him of the tragedy and grief of losing his dog. However, the more Jack writes his poems, the more the blue car vanishes from his texts. Finally, Jack composes his poems without mentioning the blue car. Instead, Jack writes positive things about his dog and appreciates him for their friendship.

Why is the power of poetry emerging as the main theme in “Love That Dog”?

Sharon Creech explores how the power of poetry can influence an individual to develop a new energy to view life from a positive perspective. Since the death of Jack's dog, he started hating everything, including his studies. One of the subjects that Jack hates with passion is poetry. When Miss Stretchberry teaches poetry in class, Jack mimics her and the poems she writes on the board. However, when the teacher forces Jack to write a poem about his favorite pet, he changes his mind to write his deceased poem to appreciate it. After writing the poem about his pet, Jack slowly starts loving poetry and writing more daily poems.

Interestingly, Jack becomes the best poetry student in his class. More importantly, Jack transforms into a positive boy who appreciates his life and those around him. Consequently, Sharon Creech illustrates that poetry is a powerful art that can transform a depressed person into a happy soul.