Was it right to shoot Candy’s dog?

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Was It Right To Shoot Candy’s Dog?

        It is in the second chapter that it is first brought up about Candy’s dog being shot. It is Carson that initiates the argument. His first reason for killing Candy’s dog was that it smelt saying “it stinks like hell” and “I can smell that dog a mile away.” He then backed this up by saying “got no teeth, damn near blind, can’t eat.” Although Carlson says there are other things in favour of Candy’s dog being killed you get the impression that his main reason was that the dog smelt and he wanted it out of the way. One of the ways this is given away is that there is repetition of Carlson complaining about the smell of the dog and the exaggeration of saying “I can smell him for two or three days.” This was very selfish of him but did recognise that Candy would miss his dog so Carlson suggested to Slim that he “give him one of those pups to raise up” because Slims dog had just had some pups and he didn’t want all of them.

        The conversation is dropped when they go to lunch and wasn’t mentioned again until part of the way into chapter three. This is where there are arguments for and against killing the dog and the persuasion and peer pressure on Candy to let them kill his dog begins. It is again Carlson that begins the persuasion to kill the dog and again his first reason is that it smelt saying “God almighty that dog stinks.” Candy doesn’t think anything of it to begin with and just apologises saying he didn’t notice it because he’d “been around him so long.” This is an argument not to kill the dog because Candy is so attached to it although Candy doesn’t realise that they are going to go on and persuade him to let them kill his dog. He probably takes it light hearted to begin with because it is likely to have happened before and nothing had ever come of it. Carlson though pursues with another comment about the smell of the dog saying “that stink hangs around even after he’s gone.” He then lists a couple of reasons to kill the dog, which are “got no teeth,” “stiff with rheumatism” and “he ain’t no good to you Candy” before actually putting the question “why’n’t you shoot him, Candy?” to Candy.

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        It hits Candy hard because he doesn’t expect it. He tries to get them off the subject by telling them about their past times which is also used as an argument against killing his dog. He says, “I had him so long…since he was a pup.” He is telling them how much he loves his dog and what they have been through together so they will have pity on the dog. This is when Carlson really starts to put pressure on Candy to let them kill his dog, coming up will many reasons why they should do it. Most of ...

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