Why Is the Extract Involving Candy’s Dog a Key Point in the Novel?

From this extract we can see that the killing of candy’s dog is an important part of the novel, because it shows the loss of a companion for candy, making him even more alone than he already is and showing us how strong his relationship was with his old dog. Also, it shows how ruthless the ranch hands can be and selfish for not caring for candy’s feelings about the death of his dog. As well as that, the death of Candy’s dog testifies to the pitiless process by which the strong attack and eliminate the weak.
Candy and his dog have a co-dependent relationship, that is, both of them are dependent on each other. They are both old and are helpless, seemingly falling apart with age. Candy had his dog since it was a puppy and always cared for it; the dog was his only real friend. Even though the dog was sick and useless candy still kept it and did not have the heart to kill it. “No, I couldn’t do that. I had ‘im too long.” Candy’s dog parallels Candy’s situation. Even though the pet was once a great sheepherder, it was put out to pasture once it had stopped being useful. Candy realised that his fate was to be put on the roadside and dumped as soon as he was no longer useful; on the ranch, he wasn’t treated any differently than his dog. He couldn’t bring himself to shoot his pet himself, because this is the same fear and restraint that kept him from making anything more of his life. Candy can’t stand up for his pet, because he can’t stand up for himself.
The ranch hands are extremely ruthless about Candy’s dog, especially Carlson. The main reason why he shot the dog was because he thought it smelt awful, “God awmighty that dog stinks” and that he was old and was in bad health. “He’s all stiff with rheumatism/ he got no teeth/he ain’t no good t you, Candy” Carlson is selfish about Candy’s feelings; he doesn’t seem to care that, that dog had been Candy’s since it was a puppy and was candy’s only companion and that Candy would not want to kill it just because Carlson wants... [continues]

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