Ethel Pedley's 'Dot And The Kangaroo'

Kensli Passmore Dr. Busby English 231 13 February 2024 Dot and The Kangaroo Critical Essay Every story has a main character and side characters that guide the main character along their journey or mission. These side characters are crucial to the plot of any story or movie because without them, the main character wouldn’t be able to live happily ever after. In the story, Dot and the Kangaroo by Ethel Pedley, the main character is a little girl named Dot who gets lost in the bush, and she meets multiple animals that help her find her way home. The main character is the Kangaroo, and she takes care of Dot like she was her own child. In Pedley’s beautiful story, she shows how these different animals guide Dot home by giving readers examples like
Firstly, the Kangaroo fed Dot and helped her get to the waterhole so she could get some water. Pedley wrote, “The Kangaroo looked at the child compassionately. ‘Poor little Human,’ she said, ‘your legs aren’t much good, and, for the life of me, I don’t understand how you can expect to get along without a tail. The waterhole is a good way off,’ she added, with a sigh, as she looked down at Dot, lying on the ground, and she was very puzzled as to what to do. But suddenly she brightened up. ‘I have an idea,’ she said joyfully. ‘Just step into my pouch, and I’ll hop you down to the waterhole in less time than it takes a locust to shrill’” (Pedley 21). Not only did the Kangaroo offer to take Dot to the waterhole, but she also let Dot get into her pouch because Dot was beyond
If Dot would have moved or fought, the Snake would have bitten her or worse. The Kookaburra waited for the Snake to get off her before making his move. “No sooner did the black Snake get outside the cave, than she saw the Kookaburra fall like a stone from its branch, right on top of the Snake” (Pedley 29). The Kookaburra waited until the Snake was far away from Dot before attacking it and eventually killing it. Without him, Dot’s journey would have ended right there in the cave. Lastly, another major character that was crucial to guiding Dot on her journey home was the Willy Wagtail. Willy Wagtail was the one who guided Dot back home to her family at the end of the story because he knew where her house was located. “‘ Well. I know where you live,’ gabbled off the Wagtail. It’s the second big paddock from here, if you follow the belt of the she-oak trees over there. It’s a house just like those things in the Gabblebabble township. There’s a yellow sheep dog, who’s very well tempered, and a black one that made a snap at my tail the other day. There is an old grey cart horse, an honest fellow, but rather dull; and a bay mare who is much better