Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas

The Power of Love is explored in these chapters in terms of the redemptive effect that Li’l Petey has on Petey. When Piggy insults Li’l Petey, Petey realizes how much he loves Li’l Petey; Petey is tempted to join Piggy and become a villain again, but he decides against this path because his son has inspired him to behave righteously. The powerful impact of Li’l Petey is illustrated in the thought bubble coming from the smiling Petey in Chapter 7 just before he refuses to join Piggy; he remembers Li’l Petey telling him: “You can change, Papa” (170). This encouragement helps Petey to realize that there are other paths for him that don’t involve a life of criminal pursuits. Furthermore, it is telling that Petey, who always insists that Li’l Petey is his clone, not his son, tells Piggy: “Don’t TALK About MY Son that way” (171). Later, Petey confirms his status as Li’l Petey’s father when he comforts him: “Papa’s here” (206). Petey’s character develops through the course of the story; he softens and becomes more kind, as is illustrated when he lovingly holds Li’l Petey at the end of Chapter 8.

The Power of Imagination is explored through Li’l Petey’s creative idea to vanquish The Fleas by retrieving spray paint and crayons and disguising the Robo-Brontosaurus as a squirrel, causing the enlarged Dog Man to chase it and capture it. By emphasizing the success of using creative solutions to problems, Pilkey intentionally appeals to children in his readership who are drawn to artistic expression, such as drawing or coloring, rather than academia; this mirrors Pilkey’s strengths and interests as a creative child who struggled in a traditional classroom setting because of his dyslexia. In Li’l Petey’s successful plan using painting and drawing, creative children are celebrated by extension. Furthermore, Silliness as Joyful and Important is emphasized in this ridiculous and hilarious plan.

The defeat of the Robo-Brontosaurus by harnessing Dog Man’s squirrel-chasing impulses calls back to Dog Man’s earlier impulse control problems, which causes him to be late to work and allows The Fleas to escape from jail. This same impulsivity in these chapters allows the Robo-Brontosaurus to be defeated, thereby saving the day. Through this plot twist, Pilkey continues to celebrate neurodiversity; although Dog Man’s impulsivity is unhelpful in some situations, it can be harnessed to help him achieve greatness in others. Li’l Petey continues to be characterized as a supportive friend in this moment; he manufactures a situation where Dog Man can shine.

Dramatic irony is present in the graphic novel’s closing scene. Milly and Chief wonder where the shrunken criminals Piggy, Crunky, and Bub are: “I wonder where they went???” “It sure is a mystery” (216). Meanwhile, beside them, Dog Man scratches himself furiously across a number of panels in this chapter: “scratch scratch scratch” (216). Unknown to the characters, the reader understands that the criminals, who are collectively known as The Fleas, are in Dog Man’s fur, causing him to be itchy. This is alluded to in Chapter 8’s title: “My Dog Man Has Fleas!” (211).