Arlo

[Rachel-K]

We've now gained a lot more information about who Connie is. What do we really know about Arlo? What about dog? Were you surprised to hear that a dog was thought to be the "familiar" to a witch?

[CathyB]

We don't really know much about Arlo or dog. There were indications that they were both 'strays' since they 'just seemed to show up' one day. They both seem to be a comfort to the women in their lives - always around in times of stress and discovery. Arlo seems to have a sixtrh sense - he found the house (could be that he has been there before), knows whether an individual is good or bad. Speculation has been that they are either the same 'dog' or of the same line. At one pooint, I agreed with this; however, my imagination is getting the better of me and I am thinking that 'the dog' is actually a male figure (father or grandfather) that has past away.

The dogs also seem to 'disappear' quite often. Not yet sure what the significance of this is.

It did not surprise me that a 'dog' was a familiar. I think that a 'familiar' could be any animal that brought comfort.

CathyB

[jabrkeKB]

CathyB, I agree with your post about Arlo except about the dog being a male figure who has passed away.  I think it is a female figure who has passed away. A woman who has the witch power in the past who shows up as the dog to help the current woman with the power.

[eadieburke]

I think the dog from the 1600's and Arlo from the 1900's are the same dog. Therefore Arlo is the spirit of Dog because Arlo seems to disappear and appear at different times in the book.

Jonas in the prologue remarks that he did not notice the dog at first. Arlo seems to find Connie while coming out of a bush. When Liz and Connie arrive at the Milk St. house, Arlo seems to disappear into the shadows and finds the gate. Mercy just happens upon Dog while in her garden picking peas. While Connie and Sam are swimming, Arlo is guarding her towel and then Arlo seems to fade to the pale moonlit color of the fog. Arlo seems to be Connie's protector too. He is in the house while Sam is there and disappears while sitting on the bed. He also appears and helps Connie fight off Chilton. Dog was also with Mercy at the time of Deliverance's hanging. Then at the end of the book, a dog is seen sleeping next to a headstone with a faint letter D as the first letter of the name and suddenly the dog disappears.

Too much appearing and disappearing. Seems to be a ghost or spirit to me!

[dhaupt]

I was surprised to learn that dogs were familiars to witches, silly me I always associated that to cats. But I'm still not sure if Arlo and dog and all the other "dogs" in the past are the same one or descendants or what. But I do definitely believe that Arlo is magical and he is a favorite character for me that I will long remember after some of the others. I love his ability to show up when ever he's needed and I love how he first "found" Connie long before she knew she would need him.

Message Edited by dhaupt on 04-14-2009 10:29 AM

[DSaff]

I love Arlo. He is always there when Connie needs him and is a support for her. Arlo listens when she is working out problems. He pointed her to the house showing me that he had been there before. He knows more than she thinks, but doesn't "spill the beans" unless a situation arises where he is needed. I think he is the same dog that was with Deliverance, and may go back farther than that. As far as Arlo being the "familiar" of a witch, I was not really surprised. I don't see any of these women as what we think of as "typical" witches, so why shouldn't their familiar be a dog? 

[bookowlie]

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dhaupt wrote:
I was surprised to learn that dogs were familiars to witches, silly me I always associated that to cats. But I'm still not sure if Arlo and dog and all the other "dogs" in the past are the same one or descendants or what. But I do definitely believe that Arlo is magical and he is a favorite character for me that I will long remember after some of the others. I love his ability to show up when ever he's needed and I love how he first "found" Connie long before she knew she would need him.

Message Edited by dhaupt on 04-14-2009 10:29 AM

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I also was surprised to learn that dogs were familiars to witches.  I guess I am so used to the whole cat/witch stereotype.  I am not sure if Arlo and Dog are descendants or are the same dog.   I feel like he may be the same dog, since he just appeared and seemed to find Connie.   I love dogs so I love that Arlo is a comfort to Connie.  I think Arlo will be a protector when Connie needs him. 

[PiperMurphy]

When we first met Arlo, Connie opened the door to her apartment and "two excited paws appeared, scrabbling at her feet." I read that line more than once because I wondered where is the rest of him? When Connie first brought him home, he had adopted her; she didn't particularly want him. At that point I took Arlo at face value, but I suspected there was more to him. From then on he appeared, disappeared, materialized, and coalesced. Plus, he seemed to blend with his surroundings like the Cheshire cat. He came and went as he pleased, but appeared when he was needed. Mercy's dog had the same qualities. I think that they are the same dog. I don't think that he is a familiar. I think that he is an ordinary dog who happens to be enchanted. If the house and garden are enchanted, why not Arlo? It is reasonable to think that Mercy would protect her dog.

I didn't know that dogs were considered witches familiars. I was surprised that two had been killed along with the 19 people executed at the Salem trials. As a dog lover, that bothered me a little bit. My two dogs appear, disappear, and turn up in unsuspected places just like Arlo. I've always called them magic dogs.

[booksJT]

Eadieburke, I agree with your post that both dogs are the same one. I think Arlo is a guardian for the present while in the 1600's he was the guardian for Mercy. When Connie moved to Milk street Arlo sniffed her out. He was their to protect her from any harm they may come her way. Back in the 1600's dog was their by Mercy's  side when her mother was condemned to die. I think that Arlo and dog were female spirts. I always thought cats were connected to witches I would never have considered dogs.

[LoBugs]

Arlo doesn't come into Connie's life until just before Grace asks Connie to take care of Granna's house. I think that Grace sent Arlo ahead a generation to protect and guide Connie in her place. I came to believe that Arlo passes himself down to the head woman of the family.  Just before Deliverance is being taken away Dog is in her lap and seems to understand he will be loosing his mistress. Then while the event is happening he disappears and only reappears when he is now found at Mercy's feet, there to comfort yet a new mistress.

The descriptions of Dog and Arlo's color, size, and mannerisms are all the same, leading me to believe that they are indeed the same dog. I thought that a dog was the perfect familiar due to there unconditional love, loyalty and protectiveness.  If only my dog could live as long!

[emmagrace]

I have enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts on this subject.

I was surprised to hear that a dog was thought to be a familiar to a witch. All you ever really hear is that cats were thought to be a witches' familiar.

I believe that Arlo is Connie's familiar. He just shows up one day and she can not seem to shoo him away. She has come to really love Arlo and he has proven himself as a faithful companion.

[hookedonbooks09]

I keep picturing Arlo like Eddie from Frazier!  All perky and all-knowing!  And very tolerant of the slow-on-the-uptake humans. <grin>

[maryfrancesa]

Is Arlo a witches's dog.  Don't know never really thought anything suspicious about him showing up when he did maybe the fact that Connie kept him.  I do agree that he was

a comfort to Connie.

[DSaff]

What a great analogy!  =)

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hookedonbooks09 wrote:
I keep picturing Arlo like Eddie from Frazier!  All perky and all-knowing!  And very tolerant of the slow-on-the-uptake humans. <grin>

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[DSaff]

Nice thoughts. I especially like the one about the Cheshire Cat.  =)

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PiperMurphy wrote:

When we first met Arlo, Connie opened the door to her apartment and "two excited paws appeared, scrabbling at her feet." I read that line more than once because I wondered where is the rest of him? When Connie first brought him home, he had adopted her; she didn't particularly want him. At that point I took Arlo at face value, but I suspected there was more to him. From then on he appeared, disappeared, materialized, and coalesced. Plus, he seemed to blend with his surroundings like the Cheshire cat. He came and went as he pleased, but appeared when he was needed. Mercy's dog had the same qualities. I think that they are the same dog. I don't think that he is a familiar. I think that he is an ordinary dog who happens to be enchanted. If the house and garden are enchanted, why not Arlo? It is reasonable to think that Mercy would protect her dog.

I didn't know that dogs were considered witches familiars. I was surprised that two had been killed along with the 19 people executed at the Salem trials. As a dog lover, that bothered me a little bit. My two dogs appear, disappear, and turn up in unsuspected places just like Arlo. I've always called them magic dogs.

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[Immortal-Spirit]

From the start I could tell that Arlo was a special dog. The way he was referred to, the description of him and the description of "dog". 

[Sassy398]

 I,too was surprised they consider a dog associated with witches...I've always

 considered the cat a withces best friend???

[scuddednimbus]

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emmagrace wrote:

I have enjoyed reading everyone's thoughts on this subject.

I was surprised to hear that a dog was thought to be a familiar to a witch. All you ever really hear is that cats were thought to be a witches' familiar.

I believe that Arlo is Connie's familiar. He just shows up one day and she can not seem to shoo him away. She has come to really love Arlo and he has proven himself as a faithful companion.

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I was surprised by this too.

[PinkBaby]

yes i love arlo to hes a cutie. the way he is described makes me see him very clearly in my head. i guess when you think about witches you alaways think about  cats. but i guess dogs were familars to witches or witchcraft. i read that when i  read  THE HERETICS DAUGHTER which was pretty good. but it was not a happy book. women and men dying needlessly for nothing. anyway i think what everyone says about arlo being a familar is very true.

[MSaff]

Good Evening All,

  On the subject of Arlo. 

  We've now gained a lot more information about who Connie is.  What do we really know about Arlo?  What about Dog ?  Were you surprised to hear that a dog was thought to be the "familiar" to a witch ?

  As I see it, Arlo is a very special companion to Connie, but we don't always know what hi is up to or for that matter where he goes or when he will suddenly reappear.  I also found that to true of Dog, Mercy's companion.  They always seemed to be together.  

  Both Arlo and Dog are and were protectors.  Just a thought here, but could it be that Arlo and Dog are one in the same ?

  Now as to whether I was surprised to hear that a dog was thought to be the "familiar" to a witch, I Was !!  I was always under the assumption that black cats and watches went together but not dogs and witches.  This is probably because for so many years, when you see a witch on a television show or in the movies, you most certainly saw a black cat.  Black cats have a superstition all of their own.  Any way back to the question. 

  I did some research and found the following definition of "familiar spirit" from Wikipedia:

"In early modern English superstition, familiar spirit, imp, or familiar (from Middle English familiar, related to family) is an animal shaped spirit who serves for witchery, a demon, or other magician related subjects.  Familiars were imagined to serve their owners as domestic servants, farm hands, spies, and companions, in addition to helping bewitch enemies.  These spirits were also said to inspire artists and writers." 

   Katherine, do you have a familiar who inspires your writing ?  lol