Ray the Rottweiler

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The story ends with Ray without his in a one-bedroom apartment. The only one he has left is Tess, who enjoys spending time with him because it helps her take her mind of Josh. And Tess ends up in an anxiety clinic, while Josh is forced into school by his father. The story ends with an open ending since there is no real conclusion to Ray’s situation and neither too Tess’s feeling's. “And that hurts me so much and I can’t say why. But I think Ray would know if I ever asked him – which I don’t.” Tess might be afraid of finding out what she’s feeling, or maybe she knows and just doesn’t want to hear it.

The fence by Ray’s property serves as the main symbol of this story. In the beginning of the story where Ray first meets Tess and Josh, they are separated by a fence. Ray is separated from the rest of the world. But as we continue further down the story Ray exits the property through the fence and sits with Tess and Josh on a fallen tree trunk. He is no longer confined to the limits of his home. Another important symbol would be Josh’s pushchair. The pushchair symbolizes Tess’s overprotectiveness toward Josh. Josh has a pushchair, albeit he is fully capable of running. (l. 167) “I see Josh running towards me…” There is another example of her over-protectiveness like not wanting Josh to go to school. “…I’m worrying about Josh at school… wishing he could just stay at home with me always.” It is also likely the reason why she is feeling hurt by the end of the story because Josh is finding someone else to rely on. “I see Josh running towards me… as he turns to say goodbye to a friend.

To sum up “Ray the Rottweiler” is a story which deals with social exclusion, exemplified by Ray’s and Josh’s exclusion from society. Gossip is terrifying. When people find it entertaining, they’ll spread it like the plague, and quickly ruin a man’s life like the plague.

“The reason why the world lacks unity and lies broken and in heaps, is because man is disunited with himself.” ~Ralph Waldo Emerson