Life in the Bush
A recurring theme in the work of Henry Lawson is the difficulty of life in the bush. Living on the frontier at the turn of the 20th century, Australia was in many ways similar to life on the hardiest edges of the American West at the same time. The tone of the story is humorous and it is intended as a comedic tall tale, of course, but the basic situation sets up a hardship for the men at the center of the story that underscores the very real struggle those living that kind of life faced every day. Likewise, the easy camaraderie between the men and their dependence upon one another—as well as their willingness to take an everybody-for-himself approach when survival is on the line—reminds the reader of the value of strong social bonds within such a self-supportive community.
Tall Tales
The story may remind American readers of something that Mark Twain might have written. The humor based on what seems an unlikely set of circumstances among men on the edge of civilization certainly has the hallmarks of an American tall tale. The story even ends on a note suggesting that this story is on its way to becoming a tall tale even if it does not qualify in its current condition. The reaction of others in the community indicates that the details of the story are likely to change significantly as it gets retold again and again.
Man vs. Dog
In this case, man versus beast is not presented as dramatic conflict, but rather as a theme arising from the story’s conflict. The focus of the story is not on how the dog is presented as an antagonist obstructing the men from their goal, but rather how the dog and the men respond to the exact same narrative stimulus. The language often serves to anthropomorphize the dog, even to the point of giving him a human name rather than one for suitable for an animal. And yet despite this imagery of personification, Tommy manifests himself as quite unlike the humans through behavior. The dog is endowed with a sentient awareness of the absurdity of the situation that has sent the men scampering for safety and even reveals the unusual canine ability to appreciate the situation with sardonic humor expressed through a grin. However, he alone is utterly unaware of the potential danger and unperturbed by the actions of those around him. The dog is thus situated as a carefree beast—intelligent, but distinctly lacking awareness of certain dangers existing in the bush that would test the very mortality of any human.
Just Deserts
Andy, Dave, and Jim exploit the environment as miners to make a profit. Their behavior runs the risk of being interpreted as ravenous and more evidently destructive. They liberally use explosives and their extensive knowledge of manipulating nature to extract valuable minerals and resources. However when Tommy grabs the explosive the narrative shifts the target. Lawson begins to draw out the irony of torture and greed. The danger and target of the explosive is reversed, and what was supposed to be a profitable excursion and a tame, loyal canine turns out to be the biggest cause of their misery (however comical and short-lived).
Fear
Ignorance is bliss for Tommy. Awareness and mindfulness regarding the gravity of his actions are completely outside his understanding. It is precisely that ignorance - and the mistaken assumption on Tommy's part that Andy, Dave, and Jim want him to chase them - that inculcates fear among the miners. Nonetheless, fear makes its way back to Tommy, in the form of a "vicious yellow mongrel cattle-dog" who was "sulking and nursing his nastiness" when Tommy encounters him in the nearby pub/hotel. Tommy is terrified by him, but his fear also saves him (as it saves the three miners) because he drops the explosive cartridge and runs away. His vicious foe sniffs at it and takes the blow when the cartridge explodes - inadvertently saving Tommy from the consequences of his ignorance.
Domination over Nature
Much of resource extraction post-Industrialization involves a very effective, efficient, and exacting mechanical process and usage of modern technologies (such as explosives) for the purpose of utter and complete domination of nature. Part of this domination involves a fear of uncertainty - the sense that one is free of fear when nothing remains unknown. Domination is also a way to deal with the harsh realities of the bush. Life is quite difficult for them, and because they are in the wilderness without the luxuries or amenities of modernity (aside from the tools they are using), they have an urge to dominate what is around them to gain a sense of control. Hence, they want to blow up the fish. Inasmuch as the explosive cartridge is a tool of exploitation, it is also a tool of survival.
Determination
There are many instances of perseverance and determination that shape the main plot of the story: the miners are adamant about creating a way to successfully mine gold. Tommy perseveres in chasing his owners and not letting go of the cartridge in his mouth - that is, until he comes face to face with the yellow mongrel, who himself has persevered in remaining under the kitchen of the hotel. However, the curiosity of the cartridge that Tommy drops is strong enough to draw him out of the kitchen, after many failed attempts by the other miners to do so.
