The Labors of Hercules Beal

Mindy, Hercules’s dog, symbolizes comfort and loyalty. From the moment the boy meets the stray, he feels solace in her companionship. This sentiment extends to others as well: At Beal Brothers Farm and Nursery, she greets customers “like she want[s] to be best friends […] and pad[s] quietly up to them, so that even little kids who [are] afraid of dogs […] come from behind their parents and put a hand out for Mindy to lick” (23). Mindy’s eagerness to be friends with anyone is marked by amiability and joy as well as keen perception, evident in her gentle approach to scared children. This behavior puts people at ease, and even those who are terrified of her find comfort in her presence.

Mindy also has a calming effect on Hercules, which he hints at when he contemplates Mrs. Savage’s lesson about looking at something in the right light. When he considers Mindy, he concludes that “any light at all” will reveal her nature (50). By noting that she is truly herself in any situation, or any light, Hercules suggests that she is a comfort to him because he knows the dog will always be there. This reliability is underscored when she greets him after school.