A Triumph of Surgery: Summary and Analysis: 2022

A Triumph of Surgery is about a rich and emotional lady, Mrs. Pumprey, who had a dog, Tricky. She overfed him, and that made him gain a lot of weight. Eventually, he became lethargic, and the doctor was stunned because of it. The story revolves around the lady and her dog.

A Triumph of Surgery Summary

The writer of A Triumph of Surgery is James Alfred Wight, and he is popularly known as James Herriot. He was a veterinary surgeon and a writer. 

The story starts with Mrs. Pumphrey, a rich and emotional lady taking her dog, Tricky, for a walk outside. A veterinary doctor saw the dog and was shocked because he looked like a bloated sausage with legs at each end. He advised her to stop giving Tricky the same dog. But, Mrs. Pumphrey cannot say no to the dog. Soon enough, Tricky falls sick, and the doctor was called.

The writer, Mr. Herriot, managed to take Tricky to his hospital for treatment, knowing fully well that Mrs. Pumphrey would not leave her dog. He took Tricky along with him and put him on the bed for surgery. The dog did not move much for two days and did not eat at all. The next day, he wished to go outside, and he played with the bigger dogs, He licked the bowls of the other dogs in hopes of eating whatever was left.

Tricky’s condition started to improve rapidly. He started to fight for his meals with other dogs. When Mrs. Pumphrey heard of this, she started to send eggs to the hospital because she thought he needed food with energy for recovery. However, Mr. Herriot and his partners began eating those as their breakfast.

To improve Tricky’s blood, Mrs. Pumphrey sent wine in bottles, and Mr. Herriot consumed those. When she started to send brandy in bottles, Mr. Herriot consumed those too. After a couple of days, Mr. Herriot decided to call Mrs. Pumphrey because she was worried about taking Tricky home. Tricky was delighted to see his mistress and instantly jumped into the car. Mrs. Pumphrey said she would not be able to thank Mr. Herriot for this wonder and said that the surgery was successful. Tricky was now cured.

A Triumph of Surgery Analysis

This story is about Ticky, a small dog who was overindulged by his rich mistress, Mrs. Pumphrey with both tasty and unhealthy treat many times a day. She would overfeed Tricky, out of love. This made him gain immense weight and become lazy. He did not exercise or go for walks and got a bloated structure. He became bulky and moved less. This made Mrs. Pumphrey concerned, and she consulted Mr. James Herriot, a veterinary surgeon to treat her lethargic dog.

Mr. Herriot was very shocked to see his condition and took him to the hospital because Mrs. Pumphrey’s overindulgence would not let Tricky lead a healthy lifestyle. He took the dog and put him on the hospital bed. Tricky did not move for two days and did eat. On the third day, he went out and played with the other dogs. He ate his food and licked other bowls for the leftover food.

With a balanced diet and exercise, Tricky’s condition improved. Mrs. Pumphrey would send his eggs, wine, and brandy. However, Mr. Herriot and his partners consumed those. Soon, the dog showed signs of improvement, and the vet called Mrs. Pumphrey, who was filled with gratitude. She felt that this was a triumph of surgery.

A Triumph of Surgery Theme

The story is based on the theme that rich parents often indulge and overindulge their children with expensive items that prove harmful for their children’s health in the long run. It signifies that parents should not indulge in things that would be harmful to their children. Mrs. Pumphrey overfed Tricky to the point that he stopped moving.  

A Triumph of Surgery Character Sketch

Mrs. Pumphrey was a wealthy and emotional lady. Her love knew no boundaries, and she kept overfeeding her dog. She could not say no to him. As a result, he became really unhealthy and had to be taken to the hospital.

Tricky was Mrs. Pumphrey’s small dog. He was overfed and gained a lot of weight. He started to look like a belated sausage with legs at the ends. He was treated by Mr. Herriot with a balanced diet and exercise, which made him energetic again.

Mr. Herriot knew his patients and their owners really well. He knew he had to take Tricky to the hospital, else Mrs. Pumphrey would not let him lead a healthy lifestyle. He consumed everything Mrs. Pumphrey sent for Tricky and felt bad about it.

A Triumph of Surgery Analysis Key Points

Mrs. Pumphrey loved her dog, Tricky, and overfed him. He did not exercise or go for walks. He gained weight and became lethargic. Someone called him a belated sausage with legs at both ends. The lack of energy in her dog worried Mrs. Pumphrey and she called the doctor. Doctor Herriot was shocked and took him to undergo treatment at the hospital. He knew that if Tricky stayed back at home, he would be overfed, and his condition would deteriorate. He did not move for two days and did not eat. On the third day, he ate what was given to him and played with the other dogs. He also licked their bowls to eat the leftover food. He was given a good diet and made to exercise. Mrs. Pumphrey sent eggs so that he had foods that would bring him energy. However, the Doctor ate those for breakfast. She also sent wine and brandy, and the Doctor had those too. Tricky started to get better. Mrs. Pumphrey was delighted to see her dog filled with energy and thanked the doctor and said that this was a triumph of surgery.