Symbolism

There was once a father who had lost his dog. After losing his dog he went into a downward spiral. He could not control anything ad felt as if he was enclosed in a caged room. He found a picture of his dog and threw it away and burned it. The next day he received a letter in the mail addressed to him but from a tree. Inside the letter was the picture of his dog untouched. He cannot believe his eyes and burns it again. He starts to to hear barking noises in his house and believes he is going crazy. The barking  noises continue. He learns to live with these barking noises and lives a better life of understanding.

Caged Room: Reality
Picture of his Dog: memories
Barking noises: constant reminder of realization that he has lost his dog

The Idea of the story is he learns to live without his dog and learns to concur and overcome his troubles.