3. Comment on the ending of Manto's short story 'The Dog of Tetwal'.
'The Dog of Tetwal' , Sa’adat Hasan Manto
The ending of Saadat Hasan Manto’s "The Dog of Tithwal" is deeply symbolic and tragic, reinforcing
the absurdity and cruelty of war. The story concludes with the soldiers on both sides of the border
firing at the dog, eventually killing it. This final act serves as a powerful metaphor for how war
destroys the innocent and turns everything, even a helpless creature, into an enemy.
The soldiers’ decision to shoot at the dog, despite its harmless nature, reflects how blind hatred and
nationalism override basic humanity. The fact that both Indian and Pakistani soldiers participate in
this senseless act shows that war makes both sides equally brutal, erasing any moral distinction
between them.
In the end the dog of Tetwal lies dead on no man’s land. For one warring side it has died a ‘martyr’s
death’ while for the other it has met a ‘dog’s death’. Whichever way you look at it, the dog remains an
innocent victim of the senseless brutality that hides beneath the surface lives of the two communities.
Additionally, by making a dog the protagonist of his story Manto is able to universalize the idea of
innocent victims. The image of the friendly dog who had wanted nothing but food and shelter and who
had wagged its tail alike for thetwo sets of soldiers ultimately being shot to death is a profoundly moving
indictment of all forms of violence. The dog does not understand, cannot retaliate, it cannot even save
itself. It is merely a mute victim of the ruthlessness of those whom he had trusted. It therefore becomes
symbolic of all such victims of violence who are abused, assaulted, and killed for no fault of theirs.
Throughout the story, the soldiers display moments of casual camaraderie and humor, but by the
end, their violence exposes their loss of empathy. The act of killing the dog highlights how war turns
individuals into merciless killers, unable to see beyond enemy lines. Even a creature that poses no
threat is caught in the crossfire, much like innocent civilians who suffer due to political conflicts.
Manto’s ending is deliberately bleak, leaving the reader with a sense of futility and loss. It critiques
the irrationality of war, where violence becomes an end in itself, and innocent lives—whether human
or animal—are destroyed for no reason. The dog’s death is not just tragic; it is a strong condemnation
of war’s senseless brutality.
