George the dog is mentioned in all three acts of the play, though it never appears onstage. At various points, the characters describe George as a good, obedient, lovable dog—however, in Act Two, George bites a party guest, Dick Potter, even though Dick is supposedly good with dogs. As a family pet, George is supposed to bring its owners happiness—but instead, it ends up hurting other people. In this way, George might be interpreted as a symbol of domestic bliss gone sour: the characters try to find happiness in their homes and their partners, yet these are the very things that cause them the greatest amount of pain.
George the Dog Quotes in Absurd Person Singular
GEOFFREY: Eva—I'm being very patient. Very patient indeed. But in a minute I really do believe I'm going to lose my temper. And we know what happens then, don't we? I will take a swing at you and then you will feel hard done by, and by way of reprisal, will systematically go round and smash everything in the flat. And come tomorrow breakfast time, there will be the familiar sight of the three of us, you, me and George, trying to eat our meals off our one surviving plate.
George the Dog Symbol Timeline in Absurd Person Singular
