get ready: it's popper meta
WHAT IS POPPER'S LITERARY PURPOSE IN TFG? like the similarity btw the names Potter/Popper/Pippa, this question has stuck with me for a while.
does Popper represent Theo's innocence? his still-preserved and shuttered wholesomeness? does Popper, a white, filthy, shrieking scrap of a dog (named after recretional pill popping) represent Theo's arrested childhood development? A wordless, dirtied, dusty, white cotton ghost of Theo's purity, dutifully plodding at his feet, fed only the occasional scraps, but beloved and "taught to dance" by Boris?
Theo becomes inseparable from Popper, Boris risks personal safety and endures a violent beating to save Popper's life (remnants of Theo's innocence), Popper is often used by Boris to quell Theo's agonzing PTSD nightmares - by despositing Popper's sleepy warmth directly onto Theo's chest and then boxing him in with his own body, Popper endearingly only sleeps soundly on top of Boris' head ("he never wanted to lay with me [Theo] like that"- representing a sense of comfort Theo cannot provide himself), Popper anxiously watches Larry violently abuse Theo when he refuses to call Bracegirdle (representing the deteriorization of their relationship and destruction of Theo's trust), Popper is abused and neglected by Larry and Xandra - continually "locked outside' and deprived of basic needs and won via a lottery (aka Larry's 'lucky' plan to use Theo for his inheritance from Audrey), Theo projects his internalized homophobia onto Popper, Popper's owlish childlike eyes are the only thing that forces Theo to give pause and evaluate his apprehensive need to flee Vegas immediately following Larry's death -- a plan which is to Boris' great dismay and ultimately fateful in both their lives.
Theo candestinely brings Popper to New York to rescue him from living alone with Xandra (!), Popper becomes craggy and old and drained of vitality and purpose but leaps with riotous joy when he sees Boris again (like the personification of a heart leaping at the sight of someone long-lost and loved) -- Boris then immediately falls to the ground in elation, smothering Popper and hoarding him preciously, clearly touched that Theo still has him after all these year and that "he still remembers me". Popper laps loudly and comically at his water dish between Boris and Theo as they whisperedly argue at Hobie's - a reminder of the emotional dehydration (I avoided using the word "thirst" lmfao) they suffered without one another, and Popper excitedly joins the newly reanimated Theo in the car ride with Boris when they first reconnect. And obviousy, Theo renames Popper (pill popper) 'Popchyk' (little cute thing) in the habit of Boris who lovingly dubs him (aka Theo's innocence) with an affectionate petname. Popper is a living connection to Boris, who co-cared for him, who Boris kissed heartfeltly upon losing him to NYC.
Popper is the shadow of Theo's childhood, trotting at his feet like a little boy looking up at the sky wondering where his balloon went after he let it go.
thank u this has been POPPER meta. goodnight
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