The Animal Store

BY RACHEL FIELD

If I had a hundred dollars to spend,

    Or maybe a little more,

I’d hurry as fast as my legs would go

    Straight to the animal store.

 

I wouldn’t say, “How much for this or that?”

    “What kind of a dog is he?”

I’d buy as many as rolled an eye,

    Or wagged a tail at me!

 

I’d take the hound with the drooping ears

    That sits by himself alone;

Cockers and Cairns and wobbly pups

    For to be my very own.

 

I might buy a parrot all red and green,

    And the monkey I saw before,

If I had a hundred dollars to spend,

    Or maybe a little more.

 

 

  About the poet 💬

• Rachel Field was an American poet, novelist, and author of children’s fiction.
• She was born on September 19, 1894 – and passed away on March 15, 1942
• She was born in New York but later moved to Massachusetts
• As she grew up, she spent many summers at Cranberry Isle, a small town in Maine, United States 

  

  Cranberry Isle

  
  

  The Poem’s Background 🌆

•       The Animal Store was from Field’s book, Taxis & Toadstools. The book was told through the        eye of an adult & the eye of both a boy and a girl
  
  

• 

  Taxi and Toadstools cover page

          
• The Animal Store reflects the poet’s experience of wanting to has a pet and she did have a dog name Trotty afterwards

Literary Devices📱

1.      Repetition – If I had a hundred dollars to spend, or maybe a little more (Stanza 1 & 4)

2.      Rhyme – a,b,c,b ( for every stanza )

3.      Imagery – hurry as fast to the animal store ( Stanza 1, line 3)

 

Theme💖

•  A child’s love towards animals

 

Meaning of Stanza 1: 

The poet wish she had a hundred dollars or more to go to an animal store. The word ‘hurry’ in line 3 and ‘straight to the animal store’ emphasis that the poet would not hesitate to go to the animal store instead of other places once she had money. ‘I would hurry as fast as my leg would go’ shows how eager she is to go and buy animals.

 

  Meaning of Stanza 2:

   ‘I wouldn’t say, “How much for this or that?” in line 1 tells that the poet is not stingy to spend her money on animal.  “What kind of a dog is he?” in line 2 shows that the poet loves the animals purely, not based on breed or species. She is willing to buy as many animals that approach her.

 

    Meaning of Stanza 3: 

    In line 1 and 2, the poet mentions that she would take hound that sits alone. Hound is a type of dog breed that is used for hunting. That makes hound breed may does not associate much with any domestic dogs. But still, she wants to take it. While Cockers and Cairns in line 3 refers to Cocker Spaniel and Cairn Terrier, type of dog breeds that are affectionate toward human and Cocker is one of the most famous dog breed in America. Both types of breed excel as home companion unlike hound. Wobbly pups refer to dogs or puppies that suffer from Wobblers Syndrome that affects their neck that make them difficult to walk.  

 

Meaning of Stanza 4:

    In line 2, the poet mention about monkey that she saw before. Monkey however, is not a common type of pets compared to dogs, cats, rabbits, birds, and hamsters. Monkeys are not a really good pet since they are capable of causing more harm and chaos in a house than other common pets. The mention of monkey here reflects the purity of the poet’s thought as a child that she basically wants to buy all animals without leaving any behind.

Point of View 👀

First person

Mood 😆

Happy and lively

Moral values/Messages 💪

1.      We should not discriminate animals by their breeds 

-          For example, people mostly choose a cute and expensive breed as their pet. As for cat, lots of people loves British/American Shorthair and Munchkin as they are cute and fluffy. But only few people would be willing to take common stray cat as pet. Sphynx is a breed of cat that people usually disgusted as they have no furs like others and look kind of weird to be a cat while they are actually so affectionate towards their owner

 

2.      We should love and treat animal equally just like we treat human

-          Nowadays, human abuse is seen everywhere all over the news. As a good human, we must love and treat animal nicely as animals had always been human’s companion since before and both human and animals depends on each other to live. The poet’s excitement to go to the animal store shows how much she cherishes every animal that she found

 

Favourite line/stanza💥

-          ‌My favourite stanza throughout the poem is stanza 3.

It shows how this child has a pure and kind heart. She cares for those that are different from others. There’s no hesitation in her thoughts to give equal care and attention to every types of animals that she found. If this child grew up with this mentality, she could turn out to be a great veterinary or she could be that generous person who handle pet shelter. I love the pure spirit from her usual self.

For your information: 💭

This is Cairns Terrier breed.

This is Cockers Spaniel breed.

This is Hound breed.

Thank you for reading! 😊 Have a nice day 💜