Gather's Breed

Throughout the novel, many of the characters make a variety of guesses as to what breed, or mixes of breed, Gather actually is. At times, this is used as a type of small talk to avoid discussing heavier issues, or to ask indirect questions of Ian.

For example, on the first page of the novel, Aunt Terry guesses Gather has “got some Airedale in him” (1), to which Ian thinks, “I have no idea. I want to know about my mom a whole lot more than Aunt Terry wants to know about Gather, but it’s the dog we talk about” (1-2). It is easier for Ian and Terry to talk about Gather’s possible breed than it is to discuss what is much more pressing for both of them, which is Ian’s mother’s addiction and the state of her health after leaving the...