Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas

What is the significance of Dog Man’s impulsivity being harnessed to defeat The Fleas? How does this tie into Pilkey’s messaging about neurodiversity?

Investigate the role of technology within Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas, particularly focusing on how technological advancements influence the characters’ strategies and the story’s outcomes. Consider how technology serves as both a tool for good and a means for mischief.

Consider the back stories of both Petey and Piggy in terms of their experiences of rejection and disappointment. Does Pilkey suggest that “bad” characters are inherently bad or that we are shaped by our circumstances? How does the goodness of Petey’s clone, Li’l Petey, further shape your understanding of this issue?

Dog Man reports to work at the police station but then joyously jumps all over Chief, allowing the villainous Fleas to escape. What does this anecdote reveal about the duality of Dog Man’s personality? Which other characters show duality?

How does Pilkey use the characters of Li’l Petey and Petey to explore the redemptive power of love, which is represented as a more powerful force than the corrosive impact of hate?

How does Pilkey’s book evoke typical comic book tropes? Which tropes does Pilkey subvert?

How does Pilkey use satire to create humor, both situationally as well as in terms of the broader plot and his use of intertextuality?

How does the breakfast scene at Dog Man’s house in Chapter 1 epitomize love and acceptance? Contrast this with the attitudes and behaviors of characters like Piggy or Petey.