Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Old Yeller, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
People and Animals
Masculinity and Emotion
Bravery vs. Fear
Coming of Age and Responsibility
Summary
Analysis
Mama knows that the dead bull’s corpse can’t be left lying where it is—it’ll smell up the yard. Plus, she adds, other animals might come eat parts of it and get infected with hydrophobia themselves. The corpse is too heavy to drag away, though, so Mama suggests that they burn it. Mama and Lisbeth go out to gather some firewood, and then Travis helps them start a huge fire. When the flames die down, however, the carcass isn’t even half burnt up. Mama, Lisbeth, and Travis spend two days and two nights lighting fires to burn up the corpse. On top of everything, Spot’s horrible moaning moos continue day and night. Travis is desperate for Papa to come home.
Travis has been handling all of the responsibilities that have been thrown his way as best he can—but now, as the hydrophobia plague really sets in (and all its attendant horrors make themselves known), Travis feels that he’s in over his head. The problems of the animal world have come to bear on the human world, and it’s almost more than Travis can stand.
Themes
Once Roany’s corpse is gone, Mama tells Travis it’s time to do the same thing with Spot—Spot has to be killed and burnt. Travis’s leg is now healed enough to walk on, so he takes his gun and heads out to find Spot, who looks sicker and more starved than she did just a few days ago. When Travis comes upon some good dry land where her corpse will burn easily, Travis fires at her. She drops, and Travis returns to the cabin. He’s tired, and his leg hurts. Mama and Lisbeth head out to gather some wood and begin to burn the carcass, with Old Yeller happily following them.
This passage shows that Travis is able to do hard things—but the demands of being the man of the house still weigh on him physically and emotionally. As Travis finds himself having to put down not just wild animals, but animals he’s cared for and loved, he grows increasingly distressed.
Themes
Travis falls asleep. When he wakes up, it is sundown, and Little Arliss is in the yard playing with his pup. Travis wonders why Mama and Lisbeth aren’t back yet. He heads to the spring to get some water. As he walks, he reflects on the job he’s done while Papa has been away. He figures that, even with the problem of his leg, he’s done a pretty good job of handling things—but he’s still frightened that more and more animals will be infected with hydrophobia before Papa gets back.
Even with all of the difficulties Travis has been facing, he still feels proud of himself. Even though each new task has been challenging in its own way, Travis has met every hurdle with grit and gumption. However, his ongoing worries about hydrophobia foreshadow the fact that the hardest task of all is still ahead of him.
Themes
