Marley And Me Theme

The theme of a book is argumentatively the the most powerful literary device that authors employ. The theme of a story is the main idea, giving it the opportunity to make readers feel strong emotion. Furthermore, when individuals read a story that exemplifies the theme of love, they almost always feel a range of emotions that are indescribable. Readers learn to feel the love that the characters do and make connections with them, enhancing the reader’s experience. In Marley and Me, John Grogan employs this theme, making the book memorable and widely adored. One can observe the theme of love through Marley’s puppyhood, adulthood, and passage.
The theme of love is exemplified numerous times during Marley's puppyhood. For example, the Grogan family
Firstly, John lovingly transformed Marley into a well behaved dog after Jenny demanded they find Marley a new home, “My own private Mission: Impossible was to rehabilitate this dog and prove to Jenny he was worthy. Interrupted sleep be damned, I began rising at dawn… and heading down to the water to put Marley through the paces” (Grogan 142). Throughout the the few years the Grogans had their family pet, Marley had become John’s greatest companion; Grogan knew he could count on Marley for everything and formed an unbelievably strong bond with him. Grogan loved Marley too much to ever let him go, so John worked with his boisterous companion around the clock to convince Jenny that Marley was more than a destroyer. Secondly, the support Jenny gave John when he brought up the possibility of moving to Pennsylvania exemplifies love, “The idea of leaving the heat and humidity and congestion of South Florida for a simpler life in the country appealed to her… She wanted our kids and, as ridiculous as it sounds, our dog to experience the wonders of a winter blizzard” (209). John knew that his idea of moving so far North would be extreme for his family and worried about them; Jenny’s encouragement showed that she loved him and he had nothing to worry about. The couple’s decision to move also exemplifies the fact that they love their children and dog; the two want a better life for the people and pet that matter the most to them. Finally, John and Marley’s sleepover on the floor showcases the affection in their friendship, “You really scared me, old man,” I whispered as he stretched out beside me and slid his snout beneath my arm… We fell asleep together, side by side on the floor, his rump half on my sleeping bag, my arm draped across his back” (256). Marley couldn’t sleep unless he was by John’s side of the bed, and John cared for Marley enough to sleep downstairs with him after Marley was