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A Christmas Memory

by Truman Capote

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Student Question

What happens to the dog Queenie in "A Christmas Memory"?

Quick answer:

In "A Christmas Memory," Queenie, an orange and white rat terrier, is a loyal companion to Buddy and his cousin. She shares in their adventures, offering comfort and companionship. After Buddy leaves for military school, Queenie remains with the cousin until she is tragically killed by a horse's kick. The cousin assures Buddy that Queenie's death was swift and painless, and she is buried in the pasture where she used to bury her bones.

Expert Answers

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In Truman Capote's short story “A Christmas Memory,” Queenie is the beloved orange and white rat terrier who belongs to Buddy and his cousin’s family. A rat terrrier is a type of dog. Queenie tags along on the adventures that Buddy and his cousin undertake. Queenie rides in the carriage, she accompanies them when they cut down their Christmas tree, buries her bones in the pasture, and comforts the cousin when she is distressed. Many times, Queenie can be found just being a companion to the pair of friends as she sleeps in front of the warm stove.

After Buddy is sent off to military school, Queenie is his cousin’s constant companion. One day in the pasture, Queenie is killed when she is kicked by a horse. The cousin assures Buddy that her death was swift and that she did not suffer. After her death, Queenie is buried in the same pasture where she used to bury her bones. The cousin writes to let Buddy know what happened.

("Buddy dear," she writes in her wild hard-to-read script, "yesterday Jim Macy's horse kicked Queenie bad. Be thankful she didn't feel much. I wrapped her in a Fine Linen sheet and rode her in the buggy down to Simpson's pasture where she can be with all her Bones....").

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