Steinbeck's deadpan style and these ridiculous moments of poodle/human blurring give us the sense that the author likes to keep things pretty light, even when getting pretty insightful and dismantling the world around him. (3.1.4)Īll right, sure, we believe that the poodle has a lot of emotions-but the comparisons to nineteenth-century rakes? And the faux, antiquated English: 'If manners maketh man, then manner and grooming maketh poodle'? Come on, you know that's tongue-in-cheek. He sat straight and nobly in the seat of Rocinante and he gave me to understand that while forgiveness was not impossible, I would have to work for it. If manners maketh man, then manner and grooming maketh poodle. But if Charley was aware of his deep-down inadequacy, he gave no sign. Under those sturdy towers of legs are spindly shanks, thin and not too straight with his chest ruff removed one can see the sagging stomach of the middle-aged.

One summer when his fur grew matted and mildewed I clipped him to the skin. I happen to now what he looks like without the tailoring. A wealth of combed and clipped mustache gave him the appearance and attitude of a French rake of the nineteenth century, and incidentally concealed his crooked front teeth. Charley's combed columns of legs were noble things, his cap of silver blue fur was rakish, and he carried the pompon of his tail like the baton of a bandmaster. For when Charley is groomed and clipped and washed he is as pleased with himself as is a man with a good tailor or a woman newly patinaed by a beauty parlor, all of whom can believe they are like that clear through. Even though his language is outwardly dead serious, it's so peppered with ridiculousness and anthropomorphizing that it's hard not to get the giggles as Steinbeck tells us about Charley's haughty, dignified anger after returning from the kennel and groomer's (where he was abandoned while Steinbeck was in Chicago):Ĭharley was torn three ways-with anger at me for leaving him, with gladness at the sight of Rocinante, and with pure pride in his appearance. It's a dry and deadpan kind of humor, though lots of the funniest stuff he says is delivered with the utmost apparent seriousness (which of course makes it even funnier).Īs Exhibit A, let's check out one of his descriptions of Charley. As we've mentioned elsewhere, Steinbeck has a solid sense of humor-both when it comes to other people and when it comes to himself.

John steinbeck charley