The Power of the Dog

The Power of the Dog is a 1967 Western fiction novel written by the American author Thomas Savage. It takes place in 1925 in Montana, just as the frontier era has come to a close. The novel portrays the story of two brothers, Phil and George Burbank, who have inherited family property and operate a cattle ranch. When George meets the widow Rose Gordon and brings her, along with her son Peter, to the farm, tensions between the brothers mount towards a surprising conclusion.

The novel explores the nature of masculinity, questioning the traits that make up a good man. Phil is the proudly rugged cowboy; George is the modest and introverted businessman. In his quest to subdue those around him, including his brother George, Phil is the top dog on the ranch. The novel explores the many ways Phil achieves dominance and exercises control over those around him. When Rose and Peter are brought to the ranch, Phil’s actions become sharply more cruel. Maintaining control of the world he has constructed at the ranch becomes Phil’s urgent, singular focus. However, even for the top dog, there is always a stronger, unpredictable force that cannot be dominated—an unfortunate fact for Phil, whose hubris does not allow for humility.