“He [Marley] was the undisciplined, recalcitrant, nonconformist, politically incorrect free spirit I had always wanted be, had I been brace enough, and I took vicarious joy in his unbridled verve. No matter how complicated life became, he reminded me of its simple joys” (140).
I thought this quote was a significant turning point in the story. Before this, John had thought of Marley as a dog who had obedience problems and boundless amounts of energy. He loved Marley, but once his wife became angry at Marley and wanted to throw him out of the house, John realized just how much he admired Marley. John felt as though he wanted to live through his dog because of his unique viewpoint of life that was always upbeat and excited. Looking back, John wishes he could have been more like Marley; more carefree and able to depend on his own thoughts instead of being influenced by others. I particularly enjoyed the sentence about being reminded of the simple joys of life. I can really identify with the author for this sentence! On nights that I have volleyball I usually don’t get home until 9 o’clock-hence why this blog is being posted so late. I am usually overwhelmed with the pressures of school and homework, because I’m so tired by the time I get home. It may not seem like a big deal, but trying to get homework done and studying for tests by waking up at 4 a.m. gets to be stressful! I understand that John’s life has many more complications than mine, such as taking care of a family, having a job, and paying the bills, but at times I feel overwhelmed with the things I have to do (as does anyone). This quote reminded me to step back and view the broad picture of life. It’s not going to matter what I scored on one test or one homework assignment. It’s going to matter that I keep up, try hard and enjoy life. After all, you only get to live life once, so even the simple things should be cherished.
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