“A dog doesn’t care if you are rich or poor, educated or illiterate, clever or dull. Give him your heart and he will give you his.”
The phrase vividly represents the main character of the story – the dog Marley. He loves everything and everybody. He teaches John, and the readers as well, what a true love and devotion looks like. The dog is an example for people how they must treat each other: not to look at the social or financial status of others, but to love them for their real values: kindness, readiness to help, sincerity and openness.
“Where there is that [love], most of the other pieces fall into place.”
The author shows us the price of true love – it is the main thing that makes people feel happy and full. It is that thing that connects people, and connects a man and dog in harmony and deep association with each other. The bright example of such value of love is its influence on relations between the Grogans and Marley. He was often so unbearable that, but for the Grogans’ huge attachment to him, they wouldn’t endured him even one day. But they loved him. It changed everything. Love made him a necessary part of each of them.
“Such short little lives our pets have to spend with us, and they spend most of it waiting for us to come home each day. It is amazing how much love and laughter they bring into our lives and even how much closer we become with each other because of them.”
The duration of a pet’s life is very short, especially in contrast to human life, but the difference is that it is not quantity that matters but quality. Marley has spent 15 years with the Grogans; it is not very long if to comparee with the years they lived, but during this short time he has influenced the family in profound ways. He taught them the most simple, but the most valuable thing – love. It is love that helps people to go through the problems and not to give up. And it is Marley’s merit that the Grogans did not break up when difficulties appeared in their life.
