Marley and Me: Life and Love with the World’s Worst Dog

Marley is five months old, now in his adolescent phase. He grows at a rapid pace and takes on an intimidating stature, although his personality remains joyful and playful. The neighborhood around the Grogan home is undergoing a period of gentrification, with the Grogans’ block acting as a buffer between the posh waterfront estates and the “rough edge” of the neighborhood (41). As the violence in the neighborhood becomes harder to ignore, John and Jenny are grateful for Marley’s size and loyalty.

Pregnancy suits Jenny, who prepares healthy meals and takes Marley for regular morning walks. The Grogans share their pregnancy news with family, friends, coworkers, and neighbors. When they arrive for their first sonogram, though, they are devastated to learn that the fetus is dead. Jenny undergoes a procedure to remove the dead fetus and placenta, and the Grogans return from the appointment childless. John is shocked to see Marley acting calm with Jenny, his tail perfectly still. Jenny, who did not cry throughout the entire ordeal, responds to Marley with a long embrace, allowing herself to sob uncontrollably for the first time. Jenny reaches out to John, inviting him to join the hug, and the three of them—John, Jenny, and Marley—comfort one another in their shared grief.