Bob Marley (Symbol)
The singer stands here as a symbol of John and Jenny’s love as mirrored in their dog, who took the name of this symbol. The narrator tells that this singer’s songs became the background of love between him and his wife; they accompanied them through the whole their life, and they helped them even when they were deciding what name to give their dog.
Gold chain (Symbol)
The gold chain which John presented Jenny for their anniversary, and which in some minutes after the presenting was eaten by the dog, stands here both as a symbol of their love and their spiritual connection with Marley. At the end of the story, when the family buries Marley, Jenny throws the chain in the grave, saying that this thing doesn’t belong to her, it belongs to them both.
The changes of seasons (Motif)
Grogan often writes about the changes of seasons and in parallel to this he describes the changes in the characters’ course of life, especially the dog’s one. The reader can notice that when the Grogans buy the dog it’s the end of the winter/beginning of spring outside; when Marley is in the prime of life, it’s the hot summer, and when he is getting ill and dies, it’s the cold winter.
