37 pages • 1 hour read
Doreen CroninThe Trouble With Chickens
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2011A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
Symbols & Motifs
The Ransom Notes
In The Trouble With Chickens, the ransom notes are a motif that supports the theme of Approaches to Problem-Solving. By finding and reading the notes, J.J. has an opportunity to use different problem-solving skills he learned from his days as a search-and-rescue dog. This allows the author to deepen her characterization of J.J. as an intelligent and multi-talented hero and adds detail to this theme.
For instance, J.J.’s first interest in the note is to analyze its exact wording, which demonstrates his articulateness and formal nature. This leads him to make the inference that an indoor pet wrote the note, deepening his suspicion of Vince the Funnel, an inside dog. He thinks, “Two things were clear: Whoever had left that note had fast feet and a head full of big words” (22). Secondly, J.J. wants to pick up on the note’s scent: “I didn’t want to hold her precious note, anyway. I wanted to sniff it. Sure enough, it reeked of one thing - the same chicken scent I had been following before the storm. The trail was right under my nose” (25). By figuring out the clues provided by the ransom notes, J.J. makes progress in the case and proves himself as a capable problem-solver.
The Dog Crate
In The Trouble With Chickens, the author uses the dog crate as a motif to support the theme of Friendship and Betrayal. Betrayed by his chicken neighbor Sugar, J.J. falls prey to Vince’s malicious plan and gets locked in a dog crate in Barb’s kitchen. Cronin associates the dog crate with betrayal and distrust, while she associates freedom outside with trust and friendship.
By using the dog crate to sharply contrast J.J.’s old freedom as an outdoor pet with his imprisonment in the crate, the author underscores the harsh consequences of Sugar’s betrayal. More than simply hurting J.J.’s feelings, Sugar’s actions have lost him his freedom. J.J.’s only hope is to work through his problems with the chicken family and trust that they will help him. His efforts to communicate and work with them help the whole group establish a plan to beat Vince. In doing so, the chickens free J.J. from the crate and, in the process, establish a trusting friendship.
The Couch
The couch is a symbol of friendship and belonging. Located inside Barb’s living room, the couch is a prized spot for the animals. It is especially coveted by the outside animals, such as the chicks, who don’t usually get to enjoy such luxury.
Once they are free from Vince’s dangerous plan, the chickens and J.J. do not go back outside to their respective houses but instead opt to stay inside and enjoy sitting on the couch together: “Moosh headed back to the living room and hopped up on the couch. I watched as Sugar waited a beat, then did the same. The rest of the brood followed” (115). When the chickens invite J.J. to sit with them, he does and feels that he is finally “exactly” where he belongs, sitting with his chicken friends. By sharing the comfort of the couch and each other’s company, J.J. and the chickens solidify their new friendship, and all feel that they belong on the farm and in the farmhouse.
