"'You ain't the same dog you was'," the man said, his voice rumbling deep in his chest. "You was full o' fight then. Now you got that hangdog look, like a whipped cur."
In this passage, we see Thornton using dialect words like "ain't" instead of "aren't" and "cur" to describe a dog. Additionally, his sentence structure and rhythm have a specific cadence that further characterizes his background and social class. This distinct manner of speaking adds depth and realism to the character of John Thornton and contributes to the overall richness and atmosphere of the novel.