Analysis Guide for the Play “Dog Sees God III.”
Given Circumstances in the World of the Play.
- Geographical Information
- The play has no specific location.
- Many of the scenes take place in a high school.
- Specific locations at the high school include the cafeteria, practice rooms, outside of the high school, and counselor’s room.
- Other locations include a backyard, a parent’s house, and an insane asylum.
By setting the play in a high school, the audience gains a better understanding of the characters’ anxieties about being judged. In their quest to find answers to life’s complex questions – including topics like sexuality, the meaning of life, philosophy, and coping with daily challenges – these characters navigate through their struggles.
Date, Season, Time:
- No specific season is given; it has neutral weather.
- None of the characters are required to wear an article of clothing that would reveal the weather.
- We do know that it is likely not during summer since school is in session.
The season in which the events of Dog Sees God take place is not indicated by any contextual clues, such as sports games. In terms of the economic situation, the characters are all high school students and are not concerned about the economy since they do not have jobs. It can be inferred that they still live with their parents because Marcy is hosting a party at her parents’ house, CB and his sister bury their dog in the backyard, and because they are still in high school. Dog Sees God is not tied to a specific time period, so external political factors do not impact the characters.
The characters in Dog Sees God, being high school students, are not concerned about politics as they are oblivious to the government’s worries. The play’s undefined time period makes it impossible to investigate the politics of that era.
During the play, the characters face challenges with acceptance of their sexual orientation and CB’s sister’s changing religion. While this may annoy some characters, it doesn’t greatly affect them. Additionally, the characters encounter peer pressure and must navigate their peers’ opinions.
