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An Analysis Of Jim Harrison 's Poem ' Man Dog '

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Jim Harrison and Jack Underwood are two completely different authors who share one thing in common; their poems involve a connection with animals. Jack Underwood writes how he does not care too much about the animals which is the poem called “Totem Pole” as he hunts them and then mentions “to appraise my work only” (Underwood). Jim Harrison writes the poem called “Man Dog” in which the main character cares for his animal so much that he even pretends to act like his animal. In both poems we experience the authors writing in first person and expressing a somewhat somber mood. Jim Harrison and Jack Underwood are both able to connect through animals and through the use of emotions as well as a deeper connection we see how two different poems …show more content…

The hunters only connection with animals is not a positive one as he is killing them and using them as work. This work may either be making him money or he is using these animals as a source of food whether it is to feed himself or his family. The hunter mentions how he has killed many animals but when stacked it does not seem as if there are many animals and this causes him to feel regret. This connection with animals shows that he does actually have feelings for the animals that he has killed. On the author hand in “Man Dog” we experience a more positive involvement with animals as the main character is envying his dog. This envying leads to him acting like his dog in multiple ways. “But there was a pebble under my flank so I got up and looked for the pebble, brushed it away and lay back down. My dog thus far overlooked the pebble. I guess it 's her thick Lab fur” (Underwood). The main character is having an unsuccessful time acting like his dog but he is trying hard and this frustrates his dog as “I moved near the actual dog this time but she got up and went under the porch. She doesn 't like it when I 'm acting weird. I 'm failing as a dog when my own kind rejects me” (Harrison). From both poems we see how at the beginning of the poems our main characters have different views and actions towards their respective animals but in the end both have the same mindset as they both care about animals and how they are involved with them. Animals generally bring humans

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