The Drover’s Wife

by

Henry Lawson

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Alligator Character Analysis

Alligator, the family “snake-dog,” attempts to kill the snake at the beginning of the story but is unable to catch it; as he attempts to burrow under house in pursuit of the reptile, the bushwoman restrains him because she knows that they “cannot afford to lose him.” The family’s reliance on Alligator reflects humankind’s broader reliance on the natural world even as it seeks to dominate it. At the same time, however, the fact that Alligator is domesticated and seeks to protect his human owners could suggest the breadth of humanity’s power to control nature. Indeed, the dog successfully catches and kills the snake at the end of the story, thereby saving the family.

Alligator Quotes in The Drover’s Wife

The The Drover’s Wife quotes below are all either spoken by Alligator or refer to Alligator. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Humankind vs. Nature Theme Icon
).
The Drover’s Wife Quotes

He hates snakes and has killed many, but he will be bitten someday and die; most snake-dogs end that way.

Related Characters: Alligator
Related Symbols: The Snake
Page Number: 48
Explanation and Analysis:
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The Drover’s Wife PDF

Alligator Quotes in The Drover’s Wife

The The Drover’s Wife quotes below are all either spoken by Alligator or refer to Alligator. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
Humankind vs. Nature Theme Icon
).
The Drover’s Wife Quotes

He hates snakes and has killed many, but he will be bitten someday and die; most snake-dogs end that way.

Related Characters: Alligator
Related Symbols: The Snake
Page Number: 48
Explanation and Analysis: