What Is the Plot Summary of the Short Story “Dog Star” by Arthur C. Clarke?
The short story “Dog Star,” by Arthur C. Clarke, is about an astronomer who dreams of his dog while on a space mission. This story was first published in 1961.
Clarke’s story begins with the astronomer awakening from his dream. In his dream, he hears his old dog, Laika, barking. The astronomer then remembers his life with Laika, from the moment he found her on the side of the road, to the day she saved his life by alerting him of an earthquake. He then realizes that his subconscious mind was alerting him of another potential disaster: a lunar tremor. He sounds the alarm and saves the majority of his crew members. He knows it could not have been Laika who warned him, as they are separated by years and space and the insurmountable gulf no man can pass: Laika’s death.
Arthur C. Clarke is a best-selling author of science fiction stories and novels. Some of his most popular tales, such as “2001: A Space Odyssey,” have been adapted to film. Clarke was famous for his marriage of technical scientific details and deeper philosophical problems. The story “Dog Star” can be found in “The Collected Stories of Arthur C. Clarke.”
