Poetry- Mother Doesn't Want a Dog

The poet begins the first three stanzas with "Mother doesn't want a dog" in order to-

• develop the idea that she would prefer to have another animal as pet

• emphasize the reason that the speaker went and got a snake

• suggest that the speaker thinks his mom will change her mind

• show that the speaker believes that a dog is the best type of pet

From the speaker's experience, the reader can learn that-

• pets are a lot of work and difficult to take care of

• you should never take the advice of your parents

• children should never keep secrets from their parents

• people should not trust each other

The poet's use of sensory language in lines 15 and 16 are intended to help the reader-

• imagine the sounds of a dog at night

• determine how heavy a dog could become

• realize that the speaker sleeps peacefully with a dog

• understand how dirty owning a dog can become

Which line from the poem suggests that owning a pet could result into a safety concern?

• Mother says they shed,

• And bark at friends instead,

• And always let the strangers in

• Mother says they smell,

The poet uses the last three lines of the poem to-

• suggest that the speaker's mother would prefer a snake.

• highlight how clean a snake is when compared to a dog

• emphasize that the speaker knows his mother will be understanding

• show that the speaker knows that his mother will not agree with his decision.