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Chapter 1
Themes
and Colors
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Heart of a Dog, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Revolution and Regression
Social Class and Hierarchy
Science, Nature, and Morality
Dignity, Loyalty, and Respect
Summary
Analysis
Moscow’s dogs inevitably learn to read the word “sausage” on shop windows. As a puppy, Sharik learned to distinguish the butcher shops by their blue-green signs. But after a fateful encounter with an electric goods store that had a similar sign, he learned to distinguish the butchers—and many other shops—by their signs’ letters and other distinctive features. So at Philip’s front door, Sharik makes out “Pro” on the nameplate. This confuses him: “Pro” can’t possibly mean “proletarian.”
This extended commentary on Sharik’s reading abilities—which go exactly as far as they need to for him to find food—shows that he is less intelligent than humans but still much more intelligent than human readers might expect. In Bulgakov’s allegory, this solidifies the link between Sharik and the uneducated or illiterate masses. In addition to poking fun at Soviet-era politics, the joke about Philip’s nameplate (which really says “Professor”) also explains the other half of the allegory. Namely, Philip represents the wealthy aristocratic class that Marxists call the bourgeoisie.
Active
Themes
A beautiful young woman (Zina) opens the door, which leads into an extravagantly-decorated entryway. Sharik glimpses himself in the mirror, and the woman calls him “mangy.” Philip disagrees, but then notices the huge burn on Sharik’s side. Sharik yelps out that it’s the cook’s fault.
Philip’s palatial apartment and beautiful servant further prove that he’s a traditional Russian aristocrat. But the “mangy” Sharik clearly doesn’t belong there—it’s still unclear why Philip has taken him in.
Active
Themes
Philip has Zina lead Sharik down a hallway to a medical examination room. Sharik realizes they’re going to cut him up and tries desperately to escape, shattering a glass door in the process. Another man (Bormenthal) rushes in the room, releases a noxious-smelling liquid, and holds Sharik down. Sharik bites him and starts to lose consciousness. Convinced he’s dying, he says goodbye to the world.
Active
Themes
Sharik wakes up, covered in bandages but surprisingly free of pain. Philip hums a song, “From Seville and to Granada…,” and criticizes Sharik for biting Bormenthal and breaking the glass door. Philip explains that he lured the dog in with kindness, which is a better way to persuade than with terror. He comments that he still has sausage, and Zina says the sausage is too expensive to give to dogs—she’d rather eat it. Philip Philippovich replies that it’s not safe for humans, and Zina leaves to answer the phone.
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Philip leads Sharik into his extravagant office, which Sharik realizes isn’t just any hospital or clinic. There’s even a stuffed owl inside. A man with bizarre features walks in and takes off his pants, at Philip Philippovich’s request. Although his hair is green and one of his legs doesn’t bend at the knee, the man triumphantly comments that women are fawning over him. Philip Philippovich examines the man and says everything is working. Delighted, the man pays Philip Philippovich a huge sum of money and leaves the office giggling.
Active
Themes
Next, a nervous woman visits and tells Philip that her life is a “tragedy.” She lies about her age, complains about her husband, and takes off her pants. Philip sings his song. Ashamed to watch, Sharik covers his eyes and falls asleep. When he awakens, Philip Philippovich is telling the woman that he will give her a monkey ovary transplant on Monday. He sings his song again and agrees to do the transplant in his office for an extra fee. Sharik falls back asleep.
Active
Themes
Four young men visit Philip, who angrily tells them they’ve chosen the wrong footwear for the weather. One of the visitors, Vyazemskaya, reveals that she’s really a woman. Their leader, Shvonder, explains that they have just moved into the building and been named as the new management committee. They claim that Philip Philippovich’s apartment is too big—he has seven rooms. He scathingly replies that he’d like one more—a library. Scandalized, the visitors ask him to simply be more efficient with space. For instance, he can eat in his bedroom, like everyone else in Moscow. He replies that this is unreasonable.
The committee threatens to report Philip Philippovich to the authorities. In response, Philip calls one of his patients, Pyotr Alexandrovich, and reports that he’s leaving Russia because the committee is taking his home. The visitors are horrified, but Alexandrovich convinces Philip to stay on the condition that the four visitors never bother him again. Shvonder takes the phone, and after briefly chatting with Alexandrovich, agrees that Philip can keep his apartment. Before leaving, Vyazemskaya asks Philip to buy some magazines from her to help support German children, but he refuses. She says he would certainly be arrested if he weren’t so famous, as he clearly hates the proletariat. He responds that he does. Zina brings him dinner and the four visitors leave.
