Tornado

Chapter 6 functions as the emotional climax of the novel, as Pete and his father realize that Tornado belongs to another family. The scene is an important moment for both Pete and his father and for their relationship. It is a key moment for Pete, as he must cope with the emotional distress of losing his dog, which forces him to grow up. Pete’s father also experiences internal conflict, as he knows how much Pete loves the dog but also realizes that it rightfully belongs to the other family. Pete is distraught, and Byars uses the symbol of nails to suggest Pete’s experience of paralysis because of his emotional state. The scene also characterizes Pete’s father and his affection for his son; though he is otherwise optimistic, it is clear that he isn’t able to find the good in the situation of needing to give up the dog his son loves. The chapter connects two of the novel’s primary themes: the need for resilience and the human-animal connection. For most of the novel, resilience is connected to the natural disaster theme and recovery after tornados or coping with fear during one. Similarly, most stories about Tornado are connected with lighter experiences of childhood, which demonstrate the power of storytelling as a comfort when told in narrative form. During the realization that Tornado is really Buddy, and in the aftermath, when Pete tries to cope with his emotions, themes of loss and resilience are associated with the experience of dog ownership and loss.

The final chapter includes emotional resolution and redemption for both storylines. Tornado returns, and although Pete at first thinks he is imagining the thumping in the barn, it turns out to be real. Pete observes that “my Tornado was standing in the doorway!” (45), then embraces the dog, who “curved his body the way he did when he was pleased about something, and his tail wagged in my face” (45). Pete’s word choice of the possessive pronoun “my” and Tornado’s physical gestures that indicate his pleasure emphasize their connection and the rightness of their reunion. When Pete asks his father if they have to give Tornado back to the other family, his father seems to enjoy saying no, commenting, “I don’t rightly know how we could […] the man wasn’t polite enough to give us his name” (45). Pete’s father adds that the family may come for Tornado, but that even if that happens, he knows where Pete and his family live if he wants to come visit, and that “if we have to share him with other folks, we’ll do it. Half a Tornado is better than none” (47). This passage is very similar to Pete’s father’s comment earlier in the text about Tornado’s card trick: that half a card trick is better than none.

When the narrative returns to the present, the narrator asks if Tornado stayed, to which Pete replies, “For seven happy years” (47), noting that they made sure to refrain from taking the dog into town again. The transition between the end of Tornado’s story back to the storm cellar again connects the two narratives, as well as the narrator and Pete’s experiences. Before Pete can move to open the door, Link arrives, and the family’s worry about his safety is eased. In both the resolution to Tornado’s story and the conclusion to the present-day tornado, Byars emphasizes that worry or loss can, in some circumstances, still end up concluding happily. However, the conclusion of the story also indicates the possibility of future disaster, as the narrator’s brother tells Pete he wishes the story about the rooster, his favorite, had been told, and Pete replies that he’ll tell it the next time. The risk of natural disaster remains, and the family will have to continue to demonstrate readiness and resiliency in the case of future tornados.