I'm tempted to launch into a whole feminist analysis of how a female figure must always be sacrificed (or sacrifice herself) in order for the male hero to succeed in his quest, but my reaction to such narratives has taken on a different kind of emotional resonance now that I have a son.
Now, after nearly 30 years of working with dogs, I'm only interested in attaining a kind of emotionalresonance with them, because when you have that kind of relationship you automatically have control, and your dog's behaviors reinforce themselves.