Structure

The short story “Walking the Dog” by Bernard MacLaverty is structured around a single episode in the life of an Irish man called John Shields during the conflict in Northern Ireland between Catholics and Protestants, known as The Troubles.

The episode is very brief, yet it follows most of the traditional plot elements, having and exposition, a rising action, a climax, a falling action and a resolution.…

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Beginning

The short story begins with a brief exposition, announcing the setting and the main character, without giving out too much information on them. Initially, we are only introduced to a man who is walking his dog on a winter’s evening: “As he left the house he heard the music for the start of the Nine O'Clock news. At the top of the cul-de-sac was a paved path which sloped steeply and could be dangerous in icy weather like this.” 

However, we soon find out that the physical setting is in Lisburn, Ireland and readers can already suspect…