35 pages • 1 hour read
Dav PilkeyA modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Summary
Background
Chapter Summaries & Analyses
Character Analysis
Themes
Symbols & Motifs
Important Quotes
Essay Topics
Tools
Petey is a striped cat. His father is Grampa, a villain and a criminal, and his son is Li’l Petey, a silly and loving kitten. Petey is a dynamic character who evolves throughout the series more broadly, as well as evolving within Dog Man: Mothering Heights. Petey is a reformed villain. Through Petey, Dav Pilkey explores The Power of Love, as Petey was pulled back into a life of crime when his community only showed him hatred and refused to support his rehabilitation: “Everywhere I went, people just saw the bad in me” (123). On the other hand, Petey channels his memory of his mother’s unconditional love when he becomes a father to Li’l Petey and decides to turn away from his life as an evil criminal.
Petey’s redemption in the series more broadly is echoed in a smaller way in this work; Petey is irritable and angry with Li’l Petey’s frustrating, childlike antics at the beginning of the story, as is illustrated when he yells at Li’l Petey and Molly numerous times: “WHAT IS WRONG WITH YOU TWO???” (114). At the novel’s conclusion, though, illustrations depict Petey holding Li’l Petey gently and lovingly and playing the ukulele to him. Through Petey’s story, Pilkey presents a hopeful message that familial cycles of hatred and crime (as Grampa is still a villain) can be disrupted through love and acceptance.
Li’l Petey is a small striped cat. His father is Petey, and his grandfather is Grampa. Li’l Petey is a curious and good-natured child. He is silly and playful, with a particular penchant for toilet humor, as is illustrated through the songs he sings with his best friend, Molly. Li’l Petey encourages Petey, his father, to be positive and hopeful (Li’l Petey is technically a clone of Petey, but their relationship is more aptly described as a father and son relationship). Li’l Petey reminds Petey that love is more important than material possessions or one’s image to the world; Petey is initially furious with Li’l Petey for embarrassing him with loud toilet songs during his interview with journalist Sarah Hatoff, but in the end, Petey holds Li’l Petey close when Li’l Petey reminds him, “We still have love” (211).
Molly, a small green tadpole, is Li’l Petey’s best friend. She and Li’l Petey love to have play dates together. Molly is described as “strange” by Petey; her strangeness adds humor to the story, in particular her preference for “making up songs about diarrhea” (84). Molly demonstrates unexpected (and funny) violence when she becomes Mecha Molly in the meerkat robot suit; the group is reduced to silence in the wake of Molly’s nonchalant shredding of the giant Sippy Cups.
Furthermore, Molly often misses social cues in a humorous way, which seems typical of the accidental inconsideration of children. Petey is yelling frustratedly at the children to give him some space and quiet for his interview. Seemingly oblivious, Molly sings loudly with Li’l Petey and demands chips, then a drink, and then chip dip. Furthermore, Molly asks to take the meerkat robot when Petey and Li’l Petey lose all of their possessions and their home and is oblivious to Petey’s sarcasm when he yells, “AS YOU CAN SEE, I’VE JUST LOST EVERYTHING! SO PLEASE, HELP YOURSELF!” (204).
Dog Man is a member of the police force who has the head of a dog and the body of a man; after a police dog and policeman were injured in an explosion, the dog’s head was sewn onto the body of the man. This creates a comic dog-like man who ostensibly operates as a human police officer but is often drawn into mischievous dog-like acts, such as drinking from the toilet bowl at work, which leads to the injury that initiates the plot.
Despite the occasional faux pas caused by his canine tendencies, Dog Man is a kind-hearted character who is motivated to do good in the community; he bravely, albeit unsuccessfully, fights the giant Sippy Cups, the immense supervillains of the story, and supports his friend, Chief, in attempting to woo Nurse Lady. Dog Man is a static character who is constant in terms of his integrity and his silly and ridiculous antics. His kindness is lauded by the book, as is his bravery. Furthermore, he introduces an element of hilarity through his dog-like actions. Pilkey presents Silliness as Joyful and Important as a recurring theme throughout the work and utilizes the characterization of Dog Man to show that heroes can be imperfect.
Chief is the police chief of the town. He is a loving friend to Dog Man, as illustrated when he runs to the hospital from his home after hearing that Dog Man has been injured, not even taking the time to change out of his pajamas. Chief develops a crush on Nurse Lady, whom he meets (or perhaps just reencounters—it’s not made clear) when he visits Dog Man in the hospital. Chief writes letters to Nurse Lady, and their relationship eventually develops when he arrives at the hospital to evacuate the occupants when the giant Sippy Cups attack the town. They plan a date, which indicates that their relationship will continue to develop after the conclusion of the storyline in Dog Man: Mothering Heights.
Grampa is Petey’s dad. Unlike Petey, Grampa is a static character; he fulfills the role of the story’s villain; he remains villainous throughout the series and this storyline. Grampa left Petey and Petey’s mom when Petey was a child. Through his abandonment of his family and his unkindness, Grampa acts as a foil to Petey, whose love for Li’l Petey persists in spite of Li’l Petey’s constant badgering and annoyance.
Some uncharacteristic warmth is shown by Grampa when he calls Big Jim “buddy” when he thinks they are going to be killed by the Sippy Cups (fortunately, they just float harmlessly in apple juice) (147). It is implied that perhaps Grampa has some kindness in him despite his efforts to disguise this.
Nurse Lady is the romantic interest of the story. She is the nurse who creates Dog Man in the first installment of the series by sewing a dog’s head onto the body of an injured cop. Nurse Lady is a fairly static character who doesn’t undergo change or development, aside from her acknowledgment of her feelings for Chief; her relationship with Chief develops into a romantic one when they kiss as they float down from the hospital using the pink umbrella.
Big Jim is a kind and endearingly unintelligent character who loves Grampa as a friend despite Grampa’s constant griping and criticism. Big Jim, who sometimes dresses as the superhero Commander Cupcake, adores cupcakes. Grampa exploits Big Jim’s love of cupcakes to help him locate Cannery Grow and Living Spray. Big Jim is touched and pleased when Grampa accidentally calls him “buddy” in Chapter 10 (147).
By Dav Pilkey
Action & Adventure
View Collection
Animals in Literature
View Collection
Family
View Collection
Fathers
View Collection
Friendship
View Collection
Graphic Novels & Books
View Collection
Juvenile Literature
View Collection
Laugh-out-Loud Books
View Collection
Valentine's Day Reads: The Theme of Love
View Collection