Outside Reading: Book Review

Ron Carlson’s What the Dog Saw is an enlightening review of Scott Spencer’s book, Man In the Woods.  Carlson focuses not on plot or style or genre but rather the philosophical message the book is trying to convey.
Carlson introduces us to Will, Paul, and Kate, Spencer’s main characters. He then recites a brief overview of what occurs. Will is the man in the woods, Paul catches him beating his dog, their “exchange escalates to violence” and Carlson does not even have to tell us that murder transpires; this links to Carlson’s insistence that it is not the plot that is the important literary concept. Carlson elaborates that the plot is not similar to most murder novels, it is no a who-done-it but rather an analysis of the question, “What if you killed a stranger who had few ties to the world — a person no one might miss?” Carlson rarely has to come out and state the obvious for the reader to undertand what he wishes to say about the novel. When he says “the murder doesn’t operate as a motor for the action” we become aware that it is the actions and psychology of the characters, stating that the murder “glows like something toxic in the daily lives of the characters”, leading us back to Carlson’s first question, which is undoubtedly answered, to the best of Spencer’s abilities, in the novel.
I got the impression that Carlson wanted to compare this work with a Shakespearean tragedy but, once again, he would not outwardly make this connection. The criminal act is not important, but the trouble it causes the protagonist is the center of the novel. Introduced as “a good old-fashioned guy and a superlative woodworker”, Paul could easily be our tragic hero, perhaps there is even a biblical reference in Carlson’s description.  He certainly has everything to loose, including his good-natured sanity.  Spencer is addressing the question; can an ordinary man get aware with murder? Can he escape society? But more importantly, can he escape himself? This is similar to Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray, Dorian tests and pushes the boundaries of what he can do. However Dorian’s portrait sees all, as does Will’s dog. What about that dog? Taken form Will’s ex-girlfriend, beaten by Will, taken from Will’s dead body, and entrusted with all the dirty secrets that haunt the characters. What is the significance? Carlson seemed to think it was important but he continues his vague, implying tone, and recommends one reads the novel.