Beware of the Dog

Roald Dahl’s “Beware of the Dog” serves as a multilayered commentary on truth. The story explores the consequences of war and implies that they are not only physical but psychological. Ultimately, the story is about Peter’s journey to uncover the truth about his situation; by the end, he realizes he is behind enemy lines and his injury is more severe than he—or the institution trying to control him—initially admits. Drawing on literary Modernism, Dahl deviates from traditional war fiction narratives by highlighting The Fragmented Nature of Truth and crafting a critical commentary on war propaganda. Through techniques like dramatic irony, interior monologue, and limited point of view, he creates a suspenseful narrative that delves into the complexities of perception versus reality.

After World War I, Modernist writers questioned the concept of absolute truth and challenged the notion of blind faith in institutions and dogmatic ideologies. Dahl echoes this Modernist skepticism, inviting readers to actively construct meaning as they follow Peter’s journey to piece together observations from his surroundings that contradict the facts that are fed to him. The use of a limited third-person narrative ensures that the reader accesses the same clues and