Dogtown

Content Warning: This section of the guide includes discussion of animal death.

At its heart, Dogtown is an exploration of what makes a creature alive. Through exploring the differences and similarities between organic and robotic dogs, the novel offers different definitions of life and ideas of how those definitions intersect. In particular, it suggests that biological definitions of life not only fail to capture what being alive truly means but also potentially exclude sentient, feeling creatures.

Chance and the other organic dogs (as well as Mouse and the human characters) are alive in the most limited and conventional sense of the word. They are biological beings who exhibit signs of life, such as a heartbeat and breathing. They are also subject to the pressures of life, including the need to obtain energy and the possibility of death. For example, Mouse and Chance’s hunger becomes a plot point during their adventures outside Dogtown, while anxiety about the List—i.e., of dogs slated for euthanasia—is an omnipresent reality in Dogtown. This calls into question whether robot dogs are “alive,” as they are not organic beings and do not experience the same struggles that organic beings do. Nevertheless, if the robot dogs do not exhibit life signs in the traditional sense, they do have inner circuitry that mimics the functions of the vital organs, as well as processes that are similar to natural functions, such as requiring recharging instead of sleep.

Moreover, it is clear that life involves more than simple biology for Chase and the other characters. For instance, they are aware of and able to interact with their surroundings. These qualities mean that they are subject to what the world offers them, good or bad, and they react accordingly, howling when they are frustrated or cuddling when they feel loved. These aspects of being alive, such as consciousness and intention, potentially apply to robotic dogs, who exhibit the awareness and independence of organic dogs, if sometimes in different ways. For instance, while Chance relies on her instincts to understand her world, Metal Head seeks answers in his user manual; however, both dogs possess the ability to think critically. They also both take independent action and revise their plans based on new information. Metal Head wishes to return home and orchestrates an escape but then chooses to return to Dogtown when Jimmy rejects him. Similarly, Chance is initially reluctant to leave Dogtown but realizes that she has little choice once she learns that her name tops the List. Moreover, Metal Head shares Chance’s capacity for love, as evidenced by his loyalty to Jimmy. His character thus expands the definition of life beyond the strictly biological.

This exploration of life dovetails with the novel’s exploration of prejudice. For example, in Chapter 30, Chance describes reading buddy day, saying that children can cuddle with organic or robot dogs but that “few kids want[] to cuddle with a machine, or curl up next to an electrical outlet” (78). Organic dogs are warmer and softer than robot dogs; moreover, these dogs react to the story and offer support when the children need it. By contrast, most robot dogs are passive participants on reading buddy days. Instead of interacting with the children and responding to the story, robot dogs sit still and listen. Initially, Chance takes this to mean that the robotic dogs are just “machines,” but the counterexample that Metal Head provides suggests that this is overly simplistic. Robotic dogs may not be alive in exactly the same way as organic dogs, but that does not mean they aren’t thinking, feeling creatures.