# Luke the Hermit explained — The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle

> Chapter companion for The Voyages of Doctor Dolittle by Hugh Lofting.

## What happens

Tommy and Doctor Dolittle visit Luke the Hermit's shack on the marshes but find the door open and Luke gone. Jip, the dog, seems to know what happened but refuses to tell the Doctor, then disappears.

## Themes in this chapter

### Friendship and Loyalty

The Doctor and Tommy's friendship with Luke is shown by their regular visits, and Jip's loyalty is tested when he hides the truth.

### Mystery and Secrecy

The chapter revolves around the mystery of Luke's disappearance and Jip's secret knowledge, creating suspense.

## Character check-ins

### Doctor Dolittle

Visits Luke's shack with Tommy, notices the open door and Jip's suspicious behavior, questions Jip but gets no answer.

### Tommy Stubbins

Accompanies the Doctor to the Hermit's shack, observes the strange circumstances and Jip's disappearance.

### Jip

Acts suspiciously at the shack, sniffs the floor, refuses to tell the Doctor what he knows, then runs off and disappears.

### Luke the Hermit

Found missing from his shack with the door open; his whereabouts are unknown.

## Key lines

> The Hermit was an old friend of ours, as I have already told you. He was a very peculiar person. Far out on the marshes he lived in a little bit of a shack—all alone except for his brindle bulldog.

Luke the Hermit, an old friend of the Doctor and Tommy, lived alone in a small shack on the marshes with only his bulldog for company.

_Introduces the Hermit's character and isolated lifestyle._

> Nevertheless there were two people who often went out to that little shack on the fens: the Doctor and myself. And Bob, the bulldog, never barked when he heard us coming. For we liked Luke; and Luke liked us.

Despite the Hermit's reputation for driving people away, the Doctor and Tommy were welcome visitors, and Bob the bulldog never barked at them.

_Highlights the special friendship between the trio and the Hermit._

> He knows something all right. And I think he knows what has happened too. It's funny, his not wanting to tell me. He has never done that before—not in eleven years.

The Doctor realizes Jip is hiding knowledge about the Hermit's disappearance, which is unusual because Jip has always been open with him.

_Shows the Doctor's concern and the unusual nature of Jip's secrecy._

## Links

- HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_voyages_of_doctor_dolittle_se/chapters/part-ii-ii-luke-the-hermit
- Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_voyages_of_doctor_dolittle_se
- All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/the_voyages_of_doctor_dolittle_se/chapters