Dogsong by Gary Paulsen (1985)

Gary Paulsen is the kind of author you need to be in the mood for. Whether you’re fighting cabin fever in the dead of winter or prepping for an outdoors weekend next month, something in life has to be pulling your brain into desiring a Man-vs.-Nature tale. At least that’s how it is for me, and I generally love survival-type stories!

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I selected Dogsong as a read-aloud for my kids for a few reasons. First, I had just posted the Newberry titles page on my blog and noticed this title was a 1986 Honor Book on that list. Second, the next day I found a copy in a Little Free Library. Third, I’d recently read a Paulsen book on my own, Woods Runner (2009), and was in the mood again something I could share with the kids. I guess fourth and finally, it was winter at the time, and our minds were on snow.

The Story

The story follows the path of an Eskimo boy named Russell. Living in a semi-modernized village in the far north, where everyone seems to have forgotten the old ways (in favor of technology and Christianity), he feels something stirring within him, but he doesn’t know what it is. Through the advice of an old shaman named Oogruk, Russel learns that the stirring he feels is the forgotten song of his people—a song that’s unique to each person yet part of their ancient heritage. Most of the Eskimos have forgotten even to search for their song, so they’ve never missed it, yet folks like Oogruk have kept the old ways alive. With few words, Oogruk encourages Russel to seek for his own song by taking Oogruk’s team of sled-dogs further north.

This dog-sled adventure is a learning experience to be sure, and Russel faces many fears and troubles, yet throughout his journey of moving further and further north, he begins to learn his song—a song of dogs and feats. “Come, see my dogs…” is the constant refrain; “They go, I go, we go. They are me” is the poignant end.

Russel’s journey to the far north had some very surprising twists and turns, including the bear, the girl, and his dreams. I don’t think my kids (11 and 12) followed the dream sequences very well, and I suppose I didn’t either, but I think that was by Paulsen’s design. Russel wouldn’t have learned his skills or his song without this ancient connection he made through his dreams (or sometimes hallucinations), and it’s the connection that really mattered—Russel must see himself tethered to his people’s past like the dogs were tethered to the sled.

Quotable Lines

Several lines jumped off the page for me. I’ll share these beautifully descriptive lines but comment only on the fourth.

The thing with dying was to try not to die and make death take you with surprise. (62)

The northern lights would come to dance. They went from red to green and back again, moving across the sky in great pulses of joy, rippling the heavens, pushing the stars back, and were so grand to see that many people believe that they were the souls of dead-born children dancing in heaven and playing with balls of grass and leather. (80-81)

Where there had been nothing he now had shelter and food and heat and comfort. Where there had been nothing he had become something. (108)

Oogruk had said, “It isn’t the destination that counts. It is the journey. That is what life is. A journey. Make it the right way and you will find it correctly with days. Pay attention to the journey.” (119)

This final quotation from Oogruk reminded me so much of a short series of sermons I preached recently about finding God’s will for one’s life. I first described a handful of the countless clear commands in Scripture that I call “generally specific” (i.e. 1Cor 10:31 and Matt. 5:16). These are verses that tell you what your purpose in life is right now, no matter who you are, how old you are, where you live, or what job you have.

I then described life as a pathway (see Ps. 119:105) more than a highway: we can’t predict where our road leads, but if we follow the Lord’s leading via his Word and take life step by step, day by day, then He promises to guide us, and we will find purpose in life. We need not daydream or be anxious about the future—the future will happen in God’s timing, but we need to be faithful today. “Pay attention to the journey,” Oogruk says, and I couldn’t agree more.

Conclusion

All told, this was a great book, though it had some themes that I think were a bit too old for my kids. They didn’t love it, but neither have they loved Paulsen’s other books like Hatchet or The River. I’ll keep trying. Perhaps one of these days a certain Paulsen story with hook my son especially and he’ll finally become a reader.

©2024 E.T.

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Read More from Gary Paulsen:

• Dogsong (1985)
• Hatchet (1986) [view also my first review of this book]
• Woodsong (1990)
• The River (1991)
• Brian’s Winter (1996)
• Brian’s Return (1999)
• Brian’s Hunt (2003)
• Time Hackers (2005)
• Woods Runner (2009)