Crosstimbers Review Forum

TVTropes has "Saving the Cat" as a trope that establishes the character is a good guy. "Kicking the dog" does the opposite.

"Killing the Dog" can also show a bad guy, or--as in the movie Shane--show a willingness to show a grim kind of mercy.

You don't have to have a person be the antagonist, but you need goals and obstacles. In some ways, they never quite confront obstacles in this story--they run away from them. Forcing them to make ethical choices, whether it's over a dog or a person, would add to the drama. In fact, applying the rule of three, maybe they first abandon a dying person, then abandon a dog, but finally save a child. Third times the charm. If the circumstances are right, the all three choices could be ethical, while none are guilt-free.

Max Griffin
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