Sheep

Luke is the orphan boy whom Jack saves from getting hit by a train in the latter portion of the book. Luke represents The Intangible Aspects of Home. When Jack meets the boy, Luke does not believe in himself or think that he is worthy of being adopted because he has been waiting for far too long. Luke also struggles with reading, and this ongoing frustration contributes to his low self-esteem. As the dog and boy bond, Jack becomes the driving force for change in Luke’s life. Jack shows love and companionship to Luke, which compels the boy to return the favor. Jack also brings Luke to the attention of the family who ultimately adopts both of them. Jack finds a home and gains new sheep to herd, and in helping Luke to find his family, Jack finally finds his true purpose.

The Goat Man’s caravan is the first home that Jack finds after the fire that destroys much of the farm. The Goat Man lives off the land and simply travels with his goats. He never complains about what he lacks; he just appreciates his life and his place in the world. The Goat Man fulfills the archetype of the sage by offering kindness, support, and advice to Jack, who is a younger, less experienced being. Although Jack cannot understand much of what the Goat Man says, the Goat Man impart his wisdom to the reader through Jack; thus, the Goat Man’s words are designed to serve as a vehicle of knowledge for Hobbs’s young readers. Similarly, the Goat Man’s death provides a profound lesson on the inevitability of death and change. Although Jack has felt at home with the Goat Man, this lifestyle cannot provide Jack with a true sense of purpose or destiny. The Goat Man’s death compels Jack to move forward with his own life and apply what he has learned.

Billy is the cruel circus master who represents the negativity of unexpectedly traumatic experiences. Billy makes a living by exploiting and mistreating animals, and his presence in the novel allows Hobbs to critique the many cruelties and hardships that animals endure at the hands of humans. The novel therefore initiates a dialogue about the role of animals in the human world, both as companions and as living beings with their own sense of agency. Jack and the other animals in the circus are deeply abused and unhappy and do not deserve to be mistreated. By escaping from Billy and the circus, Jack proves that every individual has the power to improve their own situation. Jack nearly loses his sense of self while he is bound to Billy, and by taking his chance to escape, he demonstrates that his own sense of agency and self-worth outweighs the damage of Billy’s abuse.