Portrait of Ageing: A Gerontological Analysis of Snow, Dog, Foot

International Symposium on Representations of Ageing in Literature, Erzurum, Türkiye, 18 - 19 Nisan 2024, ss.42-48

Claudio Morandini's novel Snow, Dog, Foot depicts the tale of an elderly man and his dog companion,

whom he coincidentally discovers during a leisurely Sunday hike. The man persistently pelts the

author with pinecones and stones yet refrains from uttering a single word. This real incident inspires

the author for the novel. The narrative takes place in the Italian Alps, where the protagonist Adelmo

Frandola leads a profoundly isolated existence in a remote valley, distanced from urban centres and

human interaction. He encounters the dog while returning to his dwelling from the nearby community

to gather supplies for the impending winter. The conversations between an isolated individual and a

dog captivate the readers and the narrative occasionally takes on a melancholic tone. The emergence

of a corpse as the snow melts poses a predicament leading to a series of consequential and tragic

events. The Disengagement Theory, one of the gerontological theories, explains that as individuals

age, they naturally experience a gradual withdrawal from social obligations and responsibilities,

resulting in a reduced involvement in social life, like the protagonist of the novel. The dog also holds

a significant role in the narrative. It belongs to the category of Companion Animals, which assist the

elderly in compensating for some impairments, offering psychological assistance. Throughout the

entire narrative, it becomes evident that the elderly protagonist suffers from a lack of trust in his own

memory. However, the novel does not explicitly indicate whether this is a result of a medical

condition or not. This can be inferred as one of the manifestations of a neurological disorder known

as dementia, commonly associated with ageing. This study will examine old age by evaluating the

novel’s protagonist through the lens of Disengagement Theory, Companion Animals, and the notion

of dementia.