Sheep

At its heart, Sheep tells the story of Jack’s attempt to find and define the best possible home for himself, and throughout his various encounters, it soon becomes clear that the most essential elements of a home are often the intangible ones: love, comfort, safety, community, purpose, and kindness. The novel’s secondary characters offer Jack a range of experiences, and each person creates a different definition of home. As Jack encounters these various environments, he discovers which ones benefit him and which ones deprive him of what he truly needs to be happy, and he ultimately learns how to find the family that will allow him to fulfill his purpose.

Jack’s first major lesson on this topic occurs during his time with the Goat Man, as the man’s transient lifestyle demonstrates that home is more than a mere physical place. The Goat Man lives off the land, taking only what he needs before moving on. He does not put down roots anywhere, instead embracing each moment on his journey. The Goat Man therefore represents the idea that home can be an internal sense of belonging rather than a physical place. His contentment with his wagon and goats provides him with an enduring sense of comfort, stability, and safety, and although he is heading toward the specific destination of Canada, his travel plans do not define him or affect his ability to make his home wherever he happens to be. As Jack later reflects, “a home isn’t just the stuff it’s made out of” (53). Thus, when the Goat Man welcomes Jack into his life, he teaches the protagonist that the important qualities of a home are love, food, and a place to rest.

Similarly, the relationship between Tiffany and the other circus animals stresses that a sense of home can be found in the intangible comforts of a community. The terrible conditions under which the circus animals live have prompted them to band together and care for one another. Thus, while the circus itself provides none of the benefits of a home, the shared situation and love among the animals gives them a sense of community that causes them to form a found family. When Jack comes to the circus, he is immediately accepted as part of this family because the animals understand the importance of offering each other support. In turn, Jack quickly becomes indebted to the animals and returns that support, making himself a part of their home and a member of their community. While Jack ultimately leaves the circus because it is not where he truly belongs, Tiffany and the other animals’ refusals to leave show the enduring power of the familial bonds that are forged through shared trauma. Tiffany and the others choose to stay together; their sense of community and family is so strong that they balk at the idea of escape, for they have no wish to abandon the ones they love.

Ultimately, Luke and Jack’s relationship demonstrates that a true sense of home can be found in finding one’s purpose in life. Prior to finding Luke, Jack wanders from place to place in search of somewhere to belong, believing that only a farm with sheep to herd could possibly fulfill his need for a home. Similarly, Luke shuffles through life, never trying to belong anywhere because he feels universally unloved. However, when Jack finds Luke, the dog realizes that the most authentic version of home can only be found in the company of a much-loved companion. Jack sees himself in Luke, and because he understands the sorrow that Luke feels, he essentially adopts the boy himself before putting all his efforts into helping Luke to get adopted by the ideal family. The two therefore form a friendship that grows into familial love. Together, they find their purpose, and as a result, they are both content with the knowledge that they have found the place where they are meant to be.