Lois Anthony: The Occult Advisor in Incidents Around the House

Overview

Lois Anthony appears midway through Incidents Around the House as a guest at Bela’s family party and later reveals herself to be a member of an occult study group. She is the first adult outside the immediate family to acknowledge the supernatural entity called Other Mommy and attempts to provide a solution. Her proposed method—making Bela “less appetizing” by revoking her innocence—sets off the most traumatic revelation in the novel. Though well‑intentioned, Lois’s interventions fail during the final confrontation, and she withdraws after the lake‑shore ritual goes wrong.

Plot Role and Chronological Arc

Lois’s arc spans from cautious observer to active participant to retreating figure.

First appearance (Chapter 11): At the family’s party, Lois tests Bela for “Sensitivity” but senses nothing. She sits apart, watching intently. When guest Marsha screams at a tall, dark‑blue figure, Lois is the one who asks Bela to name what Marsha saw. Bela publicly says “Other Mommy,” marking a turning point where the adult world must acknowledge the entity.
Zoo encounter (Chapter 14): Lois approaches the family at the zoo and invites Daddo to her Friday occult discussion group. Mommy dismisses her beliefs disparagingly. This encounter deepens Mommy’s hostility and foreshadows later tension.
Big Boy restaurant (Chapter 24): After the police find nothing at Grandma Ruth’s, Daddo summons Lois. She explains that the entity seeks possession through a deal—reincarnation in exchange for Bela’s heart. She warns Bela never to say yes and proposes that her group meet the entity and order it to leave. Grandma Ruth enthusiastically backs this plan.
Spiritual circle at Lois’s home (Chapter 26): Lois hosts a séance with six friends, using “spiritual telephones” and candles. The contact with Other Mommy ends in chaos when Kyle whispers that the entity gave Bela a present, then blows out the candles. Immediately after, Mommy arrives crying that Frank Doherty is dead, found in a closet. Lois’s circle fails to expel the entity, and Grandma decides they need a “specialist.”
Return to the house (Chapter 43): After the family attempts to stab Other Mommy, Lois appears on the porch, apologizing for her earlier failure. She now claims she has learned the correct method: the entity is attracted to Bela’s innocence, so the family must make Bela “less appetizing” by taking that innocence away.
Lake Michigan trip (Chapters 44‑48): Lois accompanies the family on a drive to Lake Michigan to test distance limits and prepare a ritual. She gathers supplies and conducts private conversations with Bela, learning that Bela never feared Other Mommy and even liked the idea of reincarnation. Mommy, prompted by Lois, reveals the devastating truth about Bela’s paternity. After the confession, Mommy slaps Lois, breaking her glasses. Lois then announces she is leaving, effectively exiting the story except for her indirect legacy.

Motivations and Character Traits

Lois’s primary motivation appears to be genuine concern—she repeatedly states that she felt she “let the family down” after the failed séance. She studies occult phenomena seriously, as shown by her membership in a group that discusses such topics. Her methodical approach (testing Bela for Sensitivity, then later researching “revoking innocence”) suggests a person who relies on accumulated knowledge rather than intuition.

However, her traits come with limitations:

Overconfidence in her methods: She initially believes her group can simply order the entity to leave, then later believes the innocence‑revocation plan will succeed. Both prove insufficient.
Failure to grasp the entity’s nature: Lois admits she “underestimated what [Bela] was going through.” She does not anticipate the entity’s mobility, its ability to cause external harm (Frank’s death), or the emotional complexity of Bela’s bond with Other Mommy.
Naiveté about family dynamics: She pushes for the paternity revelation without fully considering the psychological fallout on Bela or the family’s ability to withstand it. Her plan reduces Bela’s trauma to a tactical tool.

Relationships

With Bela: Lois treats Bela with a professional, almost clinical curiosity. She asks pointed questions but never develops the warm, protective bond that Grandma Ruth or Daddo share with Bela. Bela senses Lois’s nervousness and understands that Lois is afraid too.
With Mommy (Ursula): Their relationship is antagonistic from the zoo onward. Mommy dismisses Lois’s beliefs as “mayonnaise brain” and blames “people like Lois” for the crisis. At the lake, Mommy slaps Lois, signaling total rupture. Lois’s plan forces Mommy to expose a deeply buried secret, destroying any trust that remained.
With Daddo: Daddo is more receptive; he invites Lois to the party and later contacts her for help. He appears desperate and willing to try any solution, but he never fully endorses Lois’s methods. He mostly acts as a mediator between Lois and Mommy.
With Grandma Ruth: Grandma is Lois’s strongest ally. She praises Lois at the Big Boy (“I like this one”), supports the séance, and later shares information with Lois at the motel. Grandma’s trust gives Lois credibility that Mommy cannot override.

Key Decisions and Their Consequences

Deciding to approach the family at the party: This decision inserts Lois into the narrative. It confirms that Other Mommy is visible to others and forces Bela to name the entity publicly.
Consequence: The adult world can no longer pretend the entity is imaginary.
Organizing the spiritual circle (Chapter 26): Lois attempts to confront Other Mommy through group ritual.
Consequence: The ritual fails; Frank Doherty dies; the family loses faith in standard occult methods.
Returning to the house with the innocence‑revocation plan (Chapter 43): After the failed stabbing, Lois presents a second strategy. She argues that making Bela “less appetizing” will drive the entity away.
Consequence: This plan leads to the paternity revelation, which shatters Bela’s trust in her parents and strips away her innocence in the most painful way possible. The entity, however, is not repelled—it remains present and ultimately claims Bela at the novel’s end.
Leaving the family at the lake (Chapter 48): After Mommy slaps her, Lois announces she is leaving.
Consequence: The family must face the final confrontation without Lois’s guidance. Her departure signifies the failure of external expertise against an intimate supernatural threat.

Themes and Symbolism

Loss of Innocence: Lois directly embodies the theme of forced loss of innocence. She argues that innocence makes Bela a target; the only way to survive is to destroy that innocence. This echoes the broader thematic exploration of childhood vulnerability and the price of protection. (See the Loss of Innocence theme page.)
Family Unity Under Siege: Lois exposes the fragility of the family unit. Her plan drives a wedge between Mommy and Daddo, and between parents and child. Despite her intentions, she accelerates the family’s disintegration. (Related: Family Unity Under Siege.)
Consent and Bodily Autonomy: The plan to “revoke innocence” without Bela’s full understanding raises questions about consent. Lois treats Bela’s inner life as something to be manipulated for survival. (See Consent and Bodily Autonomy.)
Reincarnation as Possession: Lois identifies the entity’s goal as possession through a reincarnation deal. Her explanation—“it wants reincarnation, slipping into Bela’s heart like a dress”—frames the struggle as one for identity and selfhood. (More on Reincarnation as Possession.)
Fear of the Unknown: Lois’s inability to fully understand Other Mommy underscores the theme of facing forces beyond human comprehension. Her two plans both rely on assumptions that prove wrong. (Explore Fear of the Unknown.)

Questions and Answers

1. Why does Lois Anthony test Bela for “Sensitivity” at the party?
Lois wants to determine if Bela has supernatural abilities that make her susceptible to entity interaction. When she senses nothing, she initially dismisses Bela as a non‑sensitive, later realizing she underestimated the situation.

2. What is the “revoking innocence” plan, and why does Lois believe it will work?
Lois explains that Other Mommy is attracted to Bela’s purity and lack of awareness of evil. By exposing Bela to a traumatic truth (the paternity secret), the entity would find Bela “less appetizing” and lose interest. The plan is based on the idea that innocence is a flavor the entity craves.

3. Does Lois succeed in helping the family?
No. Her séance fails, and her second plan indirectly causes deep emotional harm without driving the entity away. In the end, Bela still accepts Other Mommy into her heart. Lois’s departure signals that her knowledge is insufficient against this particular supernatural force.

4. What is Lois’s relationship with Grandma Ruth, and why does Grandma trust her?
Grandma Ruth is the first to embrace Lois’s plan. She respects Lois’s willingness to take action where others hesitate. At the motel, Ruth shares private family information with Lois, including the idea of “revoking innocence,” suggesting a close collaboration.

5. How does Lois’s character reflect the theme of human hubris when confronting the supernatural?
Lois represents a rational, methodical approach to an irrational entity. She repeatedly assumes she can understand and control Other Mommy through knowledge and ritual. Her repeated failures highlight the novel’s message that some horrors exceed human frameworks of understanding. For further analysis, see the Ending Explained page.

This analysis distinguishes between explicit story facts (identifiable in the text) and interpretive commentary (marked by phrases such as “suggests,” “appears,” or “implies”). For more character insights and plot discussions, visit our Questions and Answers section.