Shiloh characters

Appears from the start

An eleven-year-old boy living with his family in the hills near Friendly, West Virginia. Marty is observant, persistent, and deeply troubled by cruelty toward animals. When a frightened young beagle follows him home, he feels responsible for protecting it even though he knows the dog belongs to someone else. His determination places him in conflict with both the dog's owner and his own belief that lying and taking what is not his are wrong.

Appears from the start

A small, young beagle that follows Marty near the old Shiloh schoolhouse. The dog is thin, timid, and quick to crouch as if expecting a blow. Marty names him for the place where they meet and immediately becomes protective of him.

First appears in chapter 2

A local hunter who owns Shiloh and several other dogs. Judd is surly, suspicious, and known to treat his animals harshly. He insists on his legal ownership of the beagle and resents Marty's questions about how the dog is handled.

Also known as Dad

Appears from the start

Marty's father, a mail carrier who supports the family on a limited income. Practical and firm about respecting other people's property, he understands his son's concern for the beagle but tells him that a dog cannot simply be kept because its owner is disliked.

Also known as Ma

Appears from the start

Marty's mother, who manages the Preston household with warmth and close attention to her children. She notices Marty's unusual behavior and worries when he becomes secretive, while sharing his unease about an animal being mistreated.

Appears from the start

Marty's younger sister, lively and talkative. Her curiosity makes it difficult for Marty to keep any unusual activity around the family home unnoticed.

Appears from the start

The youngest Preston child and Marty's little sister. She is still small enough to depend heavily on the rest of the family and is part of the busy household in which Marty tries to conceal his worries about Shiloh.

First appears in chapter 6

Marty's friend from a more comfortable household. David readily invites Marty to visit and offers ordinary companionship, unaware that Marty has reasons for wanting his family to think he is spending time elsewhere.

First appears in chapter 10

The local doctor called when Shiloh is badly injured. Doc Murphy treats the dog promptly and takes Marty's distress seriously while making clear that recovery will require care and patience.