40 pages • 1 hour read
Valerie HobbsSheep
Fiction | Novel | Middle Grade | Published in 2006A modern alternative to SparkNotes and CliffsNotes, SuperSummary offers high-quality Study Guides with detailed chapter summaries and analysis of major themes, characters, and more.
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Ideological Context: The Human-Animal Relationship
Through the lens of Jack’s perspective, Hobbs delivers an implicit commentary on the unique, age-old bond that humans and animals often share. Initially, the study of this bond was scientific and was often performed by philosophers or breeders in an effort to understand the connection between species. Such studies were also intended to determine how animals could be used and sometimes exploited for the benefit of people. As long ago as 15,000 years, humans and animals existed in harmony, and animals provided protection in various ways. For example, dogs were used as herders or trackers, while cats killed vermin that might otherwise spread disease. The human-pet relationship developed further as human society became less transient. Instead of providing protection, modern pets primarily offer their humans a sense of companionship or well-being, and humans in turn provide food, shelter, and care. As is demonstrated with Jack in the final chapters of the novel, pets may also act as working animals who provide both psychological benefits and business-related benefits.
However, Sheep also addresses the darker side of human-animal relationships, for although animals have a history of living in harmony with people, there are also many cases of humans exploiting or marginalizing animals. In the novel, Hobbs portrays this problematic dynamic through the device of Billy’s circus, describing the malicious acts of a cruel human who keeps animals in terrible conditions and forces them to act against their nature for his own benefit. Billy’s actions are therefore designed to critique and condemn the abusive aspects of the interactions between humans and animals. Thus, Hobbs’s story is meant to give a voice to the voiceless and advocate for the benefit of creatures who cannot speak for themselves in the broader discussion of animal welfare. Although the primary focus of Sheep is to deliver a series of life lessons applicable to almost any child, the novel nonetheless serves as a gateway to discuss the many roles that animals play in society, and the author implicitly urges readers to embrace the responsibility of humans to work for the well-being of all creatures.
Literary Context: Animal Fiction
Sheep is part of the broader genre of animal fiction, a category of stories in which animals play a significant role in the plot. Typically, these stories are told from an animal’s perspective, but they may also feature a human narrator who has a notable connection to animals. Most often, the animal narrator drives the story and encounters humans who play a prominent role in their life, either for good or ill. A prime example of such a story is Anna Sewell’s classic novel Black Beauty (1877), a middle grade book in which a horse describes his experiences with living on a farm and pulling a cab in London. The novel highlights many common kindnesses and cruelties to which horses were often subjected during this time frame, raising awareness of a range of animal welfare issues. Similarly, Jack London’s Call of the Wild (1903) and White Fang (1906) both feature canine protagonists whose adventures critique many aspects of human-animal interactions, both positive and negative.
Sheep adheres to the conventions of this genre by using the border collie Jack as the protagonist and describing his unique impressions of the people he encounters, such as the Goat Man and Billy. Within the genre, Sheep offers a glimpse into an animal’s life, and the anthropomorphic nature of Jack’s character is designed to make him more relatable to the novel’s younger target audience. Thus, Hobbs endeavors to teach children about the challenges that many animals face, and her narrative also delivers crucial insights about animals’ various roles in the world today. With the character of Jack, Hobbs provides younger readers with vivid examples of animal cruelty and abuse that are perpetrated in the name of greed. By showing the direct impact of human cruelty on a thinking, living dog, Hobbs transforms her novel into a morality tale designed to highlight the importance of treating animals ethically. In this way, Sheep and other similar stories open a broader discussion about the treatment of animals and the importance of every living creature’s right to a good life.
