logo

36 pages 1 hour read

Dav Pilkey

Dog Man: Lord of the Fleas

Fiction | Graphic Novel/Book | Middle Grade | Published in 2018

A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.

Symbols & Motifs

Li’l Petey as Clone Versus Son

Petey sternly tells Li’l Petey not to call him Papa, as they are clones of each other rather than father and son. Li’l Petey looks crestfallen as Petey tells him this and only agrees to call him Petey when Petey insists that this is his condition in return for saving Li’l Petey’s friends.

For Petey, this is a protective measure that allows him to keep a distance between himself and Li’l Petey. However, the fact that Petey secretly does love Li’l Petey as a son is illustrated when he angrily says to Piggy (who is insulting Li’l Petey), “Don’t TALK About MY son that way!” (171). Furthermore, Petey is obviously distressed when he can’t find Li’l Petey, further illustrating his love for Li’l Petey: “Where’s the kid? WHERE’S LI’L PETEY?” (186). The capitalization, which denotes yelling, illustrates Petey’s rising hysteria and fear that Li’l Petey has been hurt. At the conclusion of Chapter 8, when Petey and Li’l Petey are reunited, Petey comforts Li’l Petey by saying, “Papa’s here” (206), as he holds him close (206). This statement illustrates Petey accepting that Li’l Petey is his son and becoming better at expressing the inherently loving, familial nature of their relationship. The progression of Petey’s feeling about being called Papa shows his growth as a dynamic character, a process that is mirrored more broadly throughout the Dog Man series.

The Transformation of the Robo-Brontosaurus into a Squirrel

Li’l Petey’s strategy to defeat The Fleas by transforming their robot into a giant squirrel lookalike foregrounds The Power of Creativity, as the story’s antagonists are vanquished using a clever plan, paint, and crayons. It also foregrounds the theme of Silliness as Joyful and Important. Pilkey intentionally appeals to his audience of children, who likely (given the graphic novel medium) appreciate creativity, including pictures, comics, and drawing.

Furthermore, this strategy illustrates Li’l Petey embracing his friend’s quirks; he designs a situation where Dog Man’s obsession with chasing squirrels, which has caused others to be angry at him previously (such as Chief’s irritation that he is late to work in Chapter 3), is instead harnessed for good. This reversal allows Dog Man to be publicly celebrated for his doglike tendencies rather than shamed and maligned. Through this solution, Pilkey suggests that people’s neurodivergence should be accepted and celebrated and that our differences can be assets in the right situation.

Petey’s Decision to Return to Cat Jail

Petey is briefly tempted by Piggy’s suggestion that he join him as a supervillain: “If you and I set aside our differences…and we worked TOGETHER…we’d be UNSTOPPABLE” (167). In these panels, Petey is depicted listening carefully, with a hand on his chin in a gesture of thoughtful consideration. However, Petey then pictures Li’l Petey telling him, “You can change, Papa” (170), and he refuses Piggy’s invitation, even though this means that he has to return to Cat Jail to continue to atone for his past crimes.

Petey’s decision is symbolic of his commitment to become a better person and to be ruled by love and forgiveness rather than by anger and revenge. Petey is inspired in this journey by his son, Li’l Petey, who believes that Petey can choose to become a better person.

blurred text
blurred text
blurred text
blurred text