Perception In George Saunder's Puppy

Oftentimes we hear the phrase “Walk a mile in someone else's shoes,” meaning to understand someone we must look through their lens. The short story “Puppy,” by George Saunders explores the theme of perception and how it is influenced by each individual's personal experiences. Marie and Callie, Saunder's main characters, are mothers who although have different parenting styles and views regarding how they raise their children, both love their children and have similar problems regarding them. George Saunder's “Puppy” explains how things that are alike can be seen completely differently due to perception. Marie and Callie both love their children but because of childhood experiences, the difference in lifestyle, and parenting styles Callie

As a child, Marie never felt loved by her parents. Her family did not laugh at silly things as she does in her present life. Marie's father is seen as a stern short-tempered man, and her mother a neglecter. In the story her parents did things like leaving her stranded in a blizzard, locking her in a closet, and drunkenly tearing down her self-esteem. These experiences shaped Marie into the mother she is today. A mother who wants her children to be loved and happy more than anything in the world. She says mothers are caretakers who are obligated to support their children's feelings (Saunders 88). When Marie saw Bo chained to a tree, it quickly reminded her of the mistreatment she endured as a child. Without coming to know anything about Bo’s mental condition or why his mother has him chained, she concluded that he was being abused. She also concluded that Callie was a cruel and ignorant woman who did not care about her child. Marie’s past experiences shaped her perception of Callie and Bo’s

Marie unlike Callie is comfortable and does not struggle when it comes to money. She lives in a nice house, owns a Lexus, and can spoil her kids with her money. Callie on the other hand struggles with money. Callie and her husband are in such a tight spot that they must sell pets that they can’t take care of. Unlike Marie who can buy her children gadgets, Callie can only hope that in the future she will be able to buy her children “Hooked on Phonics”. When Marie comes into Callie’s house she realizes that the condition of the house is “deeply sad” (Saunders 91). In her head, she pleads with her children not to touch anything while she tries to be accepting of Callie’s house. She is disgusted and thinks Callie’s house is disgusting. Marie soon after seeing the puppy she is buying imagines the puppy grown up and speaking to his friends where he says in a British accent, implying that he is not more sophisticated or proper, “My family of origin was, um, rather not, shall we say, of the most respectable…,”. The difference in lifestyles between Marie and Callie causes Marie to believe Callie’s family or house is not respectable as seen in her internal thoughts with her imagination of the puppy as a