I had read Old Yeller as a girl.
Then I watched it in class at school.
I’ve avoided revisiting it since,
So was surprised to find,
As I finished it with my sons,
That in the book, Travis says that he’ll shoot the dog
On the first page—fair warning—
And then does the shooting while Yeller is still sane.
In the movie, they wait to make sure he really has it,
And Travis comes out to find a foaming, raging beast,
Inserting an element of horror and terror
Into an already traumatic situation.
I prefer the book.
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