The Hundred and One Dalmations

The Hundred and One Dalmatians by Dodie Smith

This book was an absolute delight.  As usual, the book is ever so much better than the movie!  I am so glad Amy chose this one for the Reading to Know Classics Bookclub in July (we read it in July, I am just behind in writing posts!)



I read this aloud to my children and even my 18-year-old and 16-year-old kept wandering in to curl up and listen to a chapter.  We all just loved the rich writing and characterization and especially the use of language.  How can one not delight in phrasing such as these:

"Mr. Dearly was particularly good at arithmetic.  Many people called him a wizard of finance--which is not the same thing as a wizard of magic, though sometimes fairly similar" (4).  (hee, hee)
"She patted Pongo, who was looking particularly intelligent, and said anyone would think he understood.  And indeed he did.  For though he had very little Latin beyond "cave canem," he had, as a young dog, devoured Shakespeare (in a tasty leather binding)" (27).  (giggle)
"You have not failed,' said Misis.  'No one could say the fire was an act of dog'" (146).  (tee, hee)

I got a huge kick out of the characterization of and relationship between Pongo and Missis (his wife in the book, not Perdita as in the Disney movie).  Pongo was portrayed as intelligent and brave, terribly proud of his beautiful-but-not-so-bright wife, and rather like human men, in need of occasionally having his ego stroked.

 "You are a beautiful dog, Missis,' said Pongo.  'I am very proud of you.'  At this, Missis looked even more beautiful and Pongo felt even prouder of her.  After a minute or so, he said, 'Do you think I'm looking pretty fit?'  Misses told him he looked magnificent, and wished she had said so without being asked.  He was not a vain dog, but every husband likes to know that his wife admires him" (66).

It was also quite interesting how clearly the contrast between good and evil was portrayed in the book.  There were many references to Cruella de Vil (and her ancestors) as the devil complete with existence of a long tail, living in Hell Hall, blue forked lightning shooting out from the body, and fiendishly rejoicing at fire's destruction. "Cruella de Vil, standing right up on the roof of the car, where she had climbed so as to get a good view of the fire.  Her white face and absolutely simple white mink coat no longer looked white.  From head to foot she was bathed in the red-gold flicker of the flames.  And as they leaped higher and higher she clapped her hands in delight" (148).  This was contrasted with the "peaceful and welcoming" (142) refuge the dogs and pups found while resting near a nativity scene in a church building.

One last message I appreciated in this book, which perhaps stood out to me as an adoptive parent, was the nurturing instinct both Pongo and Missis had toward the pups who needed a family.

 "Pongo could feel great waves of love and trust rolling towards him.  And suddenly all the pups were real and living for him, not just a problem he had to face.  He felt as if he were the father of them all. And he knew that he could never desert them (107).
 "(The pups) had looked at Missis shyly, quite understanding that she must care for her own children first, but hoping she would have a little time for them later. . .She felt a pang of pity.  What mother had any of them now?  She smiled at them all--and they wrinkled their little noses in a return smile.  Then she looked beyond them, to the larger pups.  Some of the half-grown girls reminded her of herself at that age--so slim, so silly.  They knew how to wash themselves but there were many things they didn't know, many ways in which they needed a mother's advice.  And suddenly, all the puppies were her puppies; she was their mother--just as Pongo had felt he was their father.  And indeed the younger ones creeping closer and closer to her were now so mingled with her own that she could scarcely tell where her little family ended and her larger family began" (109).

We very much enjoyed this book--it's a perfect read-aloud because little children enjoy the story while older children and adults can appreciate the humor, plays on words, and characterization.