The Importance of Fatback: Dynamic and Static Characters in 'Neither Wolf nor Dog' Anonymous 10th Grade

Two types of people exist in the world; dynamic and static. Those willing to change when educated are dynamic, and those who stubbornly reject alternate viewpoints are static. In Neither Wolf Nor Dog, the author Kent Nerburn uses Fatback to allow the main character, Nerburn, to shift his incognizant mindset towards Indian culture, hence becoming a dynamic character. This is accomplished by having Fatback interpret the Indian way of life for Nerburn in a simplistic way, supporting the cultural dialogue, and using her as an icebreaker to create small talk.

Cultural awareness can be difficult to achieve in society; however, cultural respect and understanding are nearly absent with many people. As the novel unfolds, Nerburn falls victim to this mentality when he does not understand Indian culture, but Fatback acts as the interpreter, allowing Nerburn to gain respect towards the Indian way of life. For example, Nerburn notices Fatback “snuffling in the brownfield grass” then “sneez[ing] several times, yawn[ing], scratch[ing] herself” and finally “turn[ing] around several times and [laying] down” (33). The dog captures Nerburn’s attention being that dogs are relatable in both cultures and are loved by a myriad of people. More...