The role of stylistic devices is immense!!!

"A Dark Brown Dog" by Stephen Crane is one of the most interesting short stories I've ever read. It is quite an interesting story not only because of that fact that the plot is intriguing or the characters are true-to-life people, but also because of the usage of stylistic devices which the author have chosen for his thoughts expression. I'll try to explain for those people who didn't read it why expressive means and stylistic devices are so important in this story, and maybe after my explanation at least someone will be interested in the reading of this short but sensual story.

When the child kicked the dog, he doesn’t run away or bite the child, but vice versa, he admits his fault. The author wants to show us how the dog needs a friend and vivid metaphors “the dog offered more prayers”, “the dog apologized and expressed regret” are additional indicators of that fact. The reader can just imagine how strong the feeling of love to the human beings is if despite all wipes the dog is still pleading the boy to make friends with him.

Another stylistic devise – simile, also plays a great role in this scene. The dog “slunk like an assassin” – the murder is the greatest sin, and the punishment is severe, but the dark brown dog makes nothing of that kind, he just wants to play with his new friend. The dog faces every problem patiently; he sees that the problem is always his mistake. He tries to minimize the problem by cooling down and praying, he never fights back he also tries to prove to the child that he is a good and a valuable dog so that the child willing to keep him. So the author makes from the simile real hyperbole, which emphasizes in an exaggerating manner the dog’s hunger for the friend. Another simile “the dog drooped like a scorched plant” is used when the dog is examined and commented upon by the whole family of the boy. The common ground of the dog and a scorched plant is obvious. The brown dog is scared and tired of constant abuses and like a scorched plant put down its “leaves” – “ears”, and for the second birth he needs love, care and attention.

In general the story produces dark and gloomy impressions. They are achieved with the events of the story, moody epithets and adjectives. For example: “unimportant dog”, “disreputable dog” – show the attitude of the members of the family to the dog, and “wailful cry” shows the attitude of the dog towards the better part of the family. The only one who loves the dog is a little creature who picks him up from the street. He is “like a calling voice to the dog” – this simile brings to mind another phrase “to be a lifebuoy for somebody”, which means that only the little boy is the ray of sunlight for the dog. He is even described with the help of eloquent simile “Here the child came valiantly forth like a knight”. Only the child feeds his friend (the author even doesn’t use a word “animal” to denote a dog), plays with him and understands him, but at that same time the relations between two “friends” are like a master and a servant. The boy protects the dog from being beaten and hurt by the father, but in turn still beats the dog.  The dog accepts these beatings from the child, because the child is the one he is faithful to.