Florence the Dog: Symbol of Healing and New Beginnings in Never Say Never

What Is Florence the Dog and Where Does She Appear?

Florence is a stray white dog—small, curly-haired, and snow-white when clean—that Oona Webster rescues from a tangle of bushes near a lake in France in Chapter 5. The dog is trapped, with an injured paw and bald patches where she fought to free herself. Oona frees her, bathes her, and takes her to a vet. Finding no microchip or owner, Oona names her Florence after the house she is renting, La Belle Florence, which itself is named for the tragic young mistress of the last king of France, Florence de Montmarrin.

Florence the dog reappears throughout the novel: she stays with Oona in France during the pandemic, accompanies Oona when she returns to New York (Chapter 11), and becomes a fixture in Oona’s life. The dog also appears indirectly through the gift of a miniature painting of Florence de Montmarrin holding a small white dog that looks like Flo—a detail that underscores the symbolic connection between the historical figure, the house, and the rescued pet.

How Florence’s Meaning Changes Over the Course of the Novel

Initially, Florence is simply a stray Oona intends to return to an owner. Oona thinks, “The last thing she needed now was a dog.” But as she cares for it, she senses something more: “She had a feeling that the dog was an omen of some kind, but she wasn’t sure of what. New beginnings, maybe, or recovery, or healing, or just the dose of love that they both needed.” This moment marks the first shift—from a practical problem to an emblem of hope.

As Oona keeps Florence, the dog becomes a constant companion during France’s COVID confinement and through Oona’s personal crises: the end of her marriage, the loss of her job, and the isolation of lockdown. Florence offers unconditional affection and a reason to get up each day. When Oona brings Florence back to New York, the dog symbolizes her decision to move forward with her life—no longer as “Mrs. Webster” (she drops that surname) but as Oona Kelly, a woman forging a new identity.

Later, Ashley Rowe gives Oona a miniature of Florence de Montmarrin holding a small dog that resembles Flo. Oona says, “I think she’s the godmother of our relationship.” This transforms Florence into a bridge between past and present love—linking the tragic romance of the historical Florence with the hopeful relationship between Oona and Ashley. The dog thus shifts from a practical rescue to a personal talisman of love and new beginnings.

Character and Theme Connections

Oona Webster

Florence mirrors Oona’s own experience: both are lost, injured, and in need of rescue. As the dog heals, so does Oona. The act of saving Florence gives Oona a sense of purpose and agency when her life has been stripped of both. The dog becomes a symbol of Oona’s resilience and her willingness to accept unexpected gifts.

Ashley Rowe

Ashley is the one who finds the miniature of the historical Florence and gives it to Oona, linking the dog to the house’s romantic history. His delight in the dog and his gift deepen his bond with Oona. For Ashley, Florence represents the serendipity that brought them together.

Theme of Companionship and Healing

Florence offers the simple, steady companionship Oona needs after her husband’s betrayal. The dog licks her hand, sleeps in her bed, and follows her everywhere—a quiet presence that counters loneliness.

Theme of Unexpected Gifts in Grief

Finding Florence is entirely unplanned. Oona goes to a lake to gather herself after being fired, and stumbles upon the trapped dog. The gift of this animal helps break her cycle of despair. The novel suggests that good things can arrive when least expected.

Theme of New Beginnings and Second Chances

Florence is explicitly called an “omen of good things to come” for both Oona and the dog. By the end of the novel, Oona has built a new life with Ashley and his children, and Florence is part of that family.

Study Questions and Answers

1. How does Florence the dog function as a symbol of healing for Oona? Provide evidence from the text.

Florence represents healing because she appears at Oona’s lowest point—just after she has lost her job and is still reeling from her husband’s revelation. Oona explicitly thinks of the dog as a possible omen of “recovery, or healing.” The dog’s physical wounds (the cut paw, torn fur) parallel Oona’s emotional wounds. As Oona tends to Florence, she begins to tend to herself. The dog’s unconditional love gives Oona someone to care for, pulling her out of self-pity. Later, when Oona returns to New York and feels the apartment empty, Florence provides continuity and comfort.

2. In what ways does the name “Florence” connect the dog to the house and the historical figure? How does this deepen the symbolism?

Oona names the dog after the house, La Belle Florence, which is named for the king’s young mistress who was poisoned at age twenty-one. The historical Florence embodies tragic love and untimely death. By giving the same name to a rescued stray, Oona transforms the name’s meaning from tragedy to new life. The miniature painting Ashley gives Oona strengthens this link: it shows the historical Florence holding a small white dog that looks like Flo. This visual echo suggests that the dog is a kind of reincarnation or blessing—a second chance for love, this time with a happy ending.

3. Trace the moment Oona decides to keep Florence. What does this decision reveal about her character development?

Oona initially tells herself she will keep the dog “just for tonight” and hopes to find the owner. After the vet says no one will claim her, Oona asks Marie the housekeeper if she wants the dog. When Marie declines, Oona is left to choose. The pivotal moment comes when she thinks, “Maybe it wasn’t an accident that she had found her, perhaps it was meant to be, and Florence was an omen of good things to come.” This decision shows Oona moving from passivity to active embrace of life’s gifts. She stops waiting for her old life to return and instead accepts the new, uncertain path—including the responsibility of a dog. It is her first deliberate step toward resilience.

4. Compare Oona’s rescue of Florence with the miniature of Florence de Montmarrin given by Ashley. How do these two objects complement each other?

The rescue of the living dog is a spontaneous act of compassion that saves a creature from physical captivity. The miniature, by contrast, is a deliberate gift that preserves the image of a past love. Together they connect Oona’s present to the house’s history. The living dog represents the tangible, ongoing love Oona shares with Ashley and his children. The miniature honors the romantic legacy of the original Florence. Ashley tells Oona, “You were meant to have it,” and Oona calls the miniature “the godmother of our relationship.” While the dog heals Oona’s present, the miniature blesses her future with Ashley. Both objects are gifts that come through love—one found, one given—and both affirm Oona’s new beginning.