"America is a large friendly dog in a small room. Every time it wags its tail it knocks over a chair"

This quote by Arnold J. Toynbee is a metaphor for the United States of America. The big friendly dog is a representation of the country, and the little space is the world. The wagging of the tail symbolizes the actions of the United States, and the chair being overturned is the effects of those actions. This quote is a suggestion that the United States is a powerful country, and its actions have a causal sequence throughout the world. It is a pointer that the United States need to bear in mind its actions and the consequences they might have. It is likewise a tip that the United States should aim to be a favorable force in the world, and use its power for excellent.