diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/Filter.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/Filter.java
index 2b81e8b6..717ca532 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/Filter.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/Filter.java
@@ -50,11 +50,11 @@ public abstract class Filter<T> {
      * @param jsonProvider the json provider that is used to create the result list
      * @return the filtered list
      */
-    public List doFilter(List<T> filterItems, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
-        List result = jsonProvider.createList();;
+    public Object doFilter(Iterable<T> filterItems, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
+        Object result = jsonProvider.createArray();
         for (T filterItem : filterItems) {
             if (accept(filterItem)) {
-                result.add(filterItem);
+                jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), filterItem);
             }
         }
         return result;
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonModel.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonModel.java
index e9971b0a..3e9d4252 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonModel.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonModel.java
@@ -111,7 +111,7 @@ public class JsonModel {
      * @return true if root is an array
      */
     public boolean isList() {
-        return jsonProvider.isList(jsonObject);
+        return jsonProvider.isArray(jsonObject);
     }
 
     /**
@@ -249,7 +249,7 @@ public class JsonModel {
      * @return array operations for this JsonModel
      */
     public ArrayOps opsForArray() {
-        isTrue(jsonProvider.isList(jsonObject), "This JsonModel is not a JSON array");
+        isTrue(jsonProvider.isArray(jsonObject), "This JsonModel is not a JSON array");
         return opsForArray(JSON_PATH_ROOT);
     }
 
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPath.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPath.java
index c20c779f..6a318500 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPath.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/JsonPath.java
@@ -208,7 +208,7 @@ public class JsonPath {
 
         JsonProvider jsonProvider = JsonProviderFactory.createProvider();
 
-        if (!jsonProvider.isMap(jsonObject) && !jsonProvider.isList(jsonObject)) {
+        if (!jsonProvider.isMap(jsonObject) && !jsonProvider.isArray(jsonObject)) {
             throw new IllegalArgumentException("Invalid container object");
         }
         LinkedList<Filter> contextFilters = new LinkedList<Filter>(filters);
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayEvalFilter.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayEvalFilter.java
index eb00d0fd..8e769f89 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayEvalFilter.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayEvalFilter.java
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ import com.jayway.jsonpath.InvalidPathException;
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.internal.filter.eval.ExpressionEvaluator;
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.JsonProvider;
 
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.regex.Matcher;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
@@ -51,17 +50,16 @@ public class ArrayEvalFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
 
     @Override
     public Object filter(Object obj, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
-        List<Object> src = null;
+        Iterable<Object> src = null;
         try {
-            src = jsonProvider.toList(obj);
+            src = jsonProvider.toIterable(obj);
         } catch (ClassCastException e){
             throw new InvalidPathException("The path fragment '" + this.condition + "' can not be applied to a JSON object only a JSON array.", e);
         }
-        List<Object> result = jsonProvider.createList();
-
+        Object result = jsonProvider.createArray();
         for (Object item : src) {
             if (isMatch(item, conditionStatement, jsonProvider)) {
-                result.add(item);
+                jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), item);
             }
         }
         return result;
@@ -79,19 +77,19 @@ public class ArrayEvalFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
 
     private boolean isMatch(Object check, ConditionStatement conditionStatement, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
         if (jsonProvider.isMap(check)) {
-            Map<String, Object> obj = jsonProvider.toMap(check);
+            Collection<String> keys = jsonProvider.getPropertyKeys(check);
 
-            if (!obj.containsKey(conditionStatement.getField())) {
+            if (!keys.contains(conditionStatement.getField())) {
                 return false;
             }
 
-            Object propertyValue = obj.get(conditionStatement.getField());
+            Object propertyValue = jsonProvider.getProperty(check, conditionStatement.getField());
 
             if (jsonProvider.isContainer(propertyValue)) {
                 return false;
             }
             return ExpressionEvaluator.eval(propertyValue, conditionStatement.getOperator(), conditionStatement.getExpected());
-        } else if(jsonProvider.isList(check)) {
+        } else if(jsonProvider.isArray(check)) {
             return false;
         } else {
             return ExpressionEvaluator.eval(check, conditionStatement.getOperator(), conditionStatement.getExpected());
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayIndexFilter.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayIndexFilter.java
index 45681d7a..4df7057b 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayIndexFilter.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayIndexFilter.java
@@ -14,10 +14,8 @@
  */
 package com.jayway.jsonpath.internal.filter;
 
-import com.jayway.jsonpath.InvalidPathException;
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.JsonProvider;
 
-import java.util.List;
 import java.util.regex.Pattern;
 
 /**
@@ -52,17 +50,16 @@ public class ArrayIndexFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
 
 
     @Override
-    public Object filter(Object obj,JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
+    public Object filter(Object obj, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
 
-        List<Object> src = jsonProvider.toList(obj);
-        List<Object> result = jsonProvider.createList();
+        Object result = jsonProvider.createArray();
 
         if (trimmedCondition.contains(OPERATOR)) {
             if (trimmedCondition.startsWith(OPERATOR)) {
                 String trimmedCondition = trim(this.trimmedCondition, 1, 0);
                 int get = Integer.parseInt(trimmedCondition);
                 for (int i = 0; i < get; i++) {
-                    result.add(src.get(i));
+                    jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, i));
                 }
                 return result;
 
@@ -73,13 +70,13 @@ public class ArrayIndexFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
                     if(get > 0){
                         get = get * -1;
                     }
-                    return src.get(src.size() + get);
+                    return jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, jsonProvider.length(obj) + get);
                 } else {
-                    int start = src.size() + get;
-                    int stop = src.size();
+                    int start = jsonProvider.length(obj) + get;
+                    int stop = jsonProvider.length(obj);
 
                     for (int i = start; i < stop; i ++){
-                        result.add(src.get(i));
+                        jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, i));
                     }
                     return result;
                 }
@@ -91,23 +88,23 @@ public class ArrayIndexFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
                 int stop = Integer.parseInt(indexes[1]);
 
                 for (int i = start; i < stop; i ++){
-                    result.add(src.get(i));
+                    jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, i));
                 }
                 return result;
             }
         } else {
             String[] indexArr = COMMA.split(trimmedCondition);
 
-            if(src.isEmpty()){
+            if(jsonProvider.length(obj) == 0){
                 return result;
             }
 
             if (indexArr.length == 1) {
-                return src.get(Integer.parseInt(indexArr[0]));
+                return jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, indexArr[0]);
 
             } else {
                 for (String idx : indexArr) {
-                    result.add(src.get(Integer.parseInt(idx.trim())));
+                    jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, idx.trim()));
                 }
                 return result;
             }
@@ -118,8 +115,7 @@ public class ArrayIndexFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
     public Object getRef(Object obj, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
         if(SINGLE_ARRAY_INDEX_PATTERN.matcher(condition).matches()){
             String trimmedCondition = trim(condition, 1, 1);
-            List<Object> src = jsonProvider.toList(obj);
-            return src.get(Integer.parseInt(trimmedCondition));
+            return jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, trimmedCondition);
 
         } else {
             throw new UnsupportedOperationException();
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayQueryFilter.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayQueryFilter.java
index 35044a45..962e249b 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayQueryFilter.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ArrayQueryFilter.java
@@ -18,7 +18,6 @@ import com.jayway.jsonpath.Filter;
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.JsonProvider;
 
 import java.util.LinkedList;
-import java.util.List;
 
 /**
  * @author Kalle Stenflo
@@ -34,7 +33,7 @@ public class ArrayQueryFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
 
         Filter filter = filters.poll();
 
-        return filter.doFilter(jsonProvider.toList(obj), jsonProvider);
+        return filter.doFilter(jsonProvider.toIterable(obj), jsonProvider);
 
     }
 
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/FieldFilter.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/FieldFilter.java
index 95dba773..1b77c02d 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/FieldFilter.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/FieldFilter.java
@@ -15,13 +15,11 @@
 package com.jayway.jsonpath.internal.filter;
 
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.Filter;
-import com.jayway.jsonpath.InvalidPathException;
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.PathNotFoundException;
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.JsonProvider;
 
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.LinkedList;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
 
 /**
  * @author Kalle Stenflo
@@ -37,34 +35,35 @@ public class FieldFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
 
     @Override
     public Object filter(Object obj, JsonProvider jsonProvider, LinkedList<Filter> filters, boolean inArrayContext) {
-        if (jsonProvider.isList(obj)) {
+        if (jsonProvider.isArray(obj)) {
             if (!inArrayContext) {
                 throw new PathNotFoundException("Trying to access the field '" + condition +"' in an array context.");
             } else {
-                List<Object> result = jsonProvider.createList();
-                for (Object current : jsonProvider.toList(obj)) {
+                Object result = jsonProvider.createArray();
+                for (Object current : jsonProvider.toIterable(obj)) {
                     if (jsonProvider.isMap(current)) {
-
-                        Map<String, Object> map = jsonProvider.toMap(current);
-
                         
+                        Collection<String> keys = jsonProvider.getPropertyKeys(current);
+
                         if(split.length == 1){
-                            if (map.containsKey(condition)) {
-                                Object o = map.get(condition);
-                                if (jsonProvider.isList(o)) {
-                                    result.addAll(jsonProvider.toList(o));
+                            if (keys.contains(condition)) {
+                                Object o = jsonProvider.getProperty(current, condition);
+                                if (jsonProvider.isArray(o)) {
+                                    for(Object item : jsonProvider.toIterable(o)){
+                                      jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), item);
+                                    }
                                 } else {
-                                    result.add(map.get(condition));
+                                    jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), jsonProvider.getProperty(current, condition));
                                 }
                             }
                         } else {
-                            Map<String, Object> res = jsonProvider.createMap();
+                            Object res = jsonProvider.createMap();
                             for (String prop : split) {
-                                if (map.containsKey(prop)) {
-                                    res.put(prop, map.get(prop));
+                                if (keys.contains(prop)) {
+                                    jsonProvider.setProperty(res, prop, jsonProvider.getProperty(current, prop));
                                 }
                             }
-                            result.add(res);
+                            jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), res);
                         }
                     }
                 }
@@ -72,18 +71,18 @@ public class FieldFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
             }
         } else {
 
-            Map<String, Object> map = jsonProvider.toMap(obj);
-            if(!map.containsKey(condition) && split.length == 1){
+            Collection<String> keys = jsonProvider.getPropertyKeys(obj);
+            if(!keys.contains(condition) && split.length == 1){
                 throw new PathNotFoundException("Path '" + condition + "' not found in the current context.");
             } else {
 
                 if(split.length == 1){
-                    return map.get(condition);
+                    return jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, condition);
                 } else {
-                    Map<String, Object> res = jsonProvider.createMap();
+                    Object res = jsonProvider.createMap();
                     for (String prop : split) {
-                        if(map.containsKey(prop)){
-                            res.put(prop, map.get(prop));
+                        if(keys.contains(prop)){
+                          jsonProvider.setProperty(res, prop, jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, prop));
                         }
                     }
                     return res;
@@ -96,10 +95,10 @@ public class FieldFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
 
 
     public Object filter(Object obj, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
-        if (jsonProvider.isList(obj)) {
+        if (jsonProvider.isArray(obj)) {
             return obj;
         } else {
-            return jsonProvider.getMapValue(obj, condition);
+            return jsonProvider.getProperty(obj, condition);
         }
     }
 
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/HasFieldFilter.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/HasFieldFilter.java
index 7a6b62d9..6375c57d 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/HasFieldFilter.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/HasFieldFilter.java
@@ -16,8 +16,7 @@ package com.jayway.jsonpath.internal.filter;
 
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.JsonProvider;
 
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Collection;
 
 /**
  * @author Kalle Stenflo
@@ -42,14 +41,14 @@ public class HasFieldFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
     public Object filter(Object obj, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
 
         //[?(@.isbn)]
-        List<Object> src = jsonProvider.toList(obj);
-        List<Object> result = jsonProvider.createList();
+        Iterable<Object> src = jsonProvider.toIterable(obj);
+        Object result = jsonProvider.createArray();
 
         for (Object item : src) {
             if(jsonProvider.isMap(item)){
-                Map<String, Object> map = jsonProvider.toMap(item);
-                if(map.containsKey(trimmedCondition)){
-                    result.add(map);
+                Collection<String> keys = jsonProvider.getPropertyKeys(item);
+                if(keys.contains(trimmedCondition)){
+                    jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), item);
                 }
             }
         }
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ScanFilter.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ScanFilter.java
index 7f6128ce..af1323ac 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ScanFilter.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/ScanFilter.java
@@ -17,8 +17,6 @@ package com.jayway.jsonpath.internal.filter;
 
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.JsonProvider;
 
-import java.util.List;
-
 /**
  * @author Kalle Stenflo
  */
@@ -30,7 +28,7 @@ public class ScanFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
 
     @Override
     public Object filter(Object obj, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
-        List<Object> result = jsonProvider.createList();
+        Object result = jsonProvider.createArray();
         scan(obj, result, jsonProvider);
 
         return result;
@@ -47,22 +45,15 @@ public class ScanFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
     }
 
 
-    private void scan(Object container, List<Object> result, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
+    private void scan(Object container, Object result, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
 
         if (jsonProvider.isMap(container)) {
-            result.add(container);
-
-            for (Object value : jsonProvider.toMap(container).values()) {
-                if (jsonProvider.isContainer(value)) {
-                    scan(value, result, jsonProvider);
-                }
-            }
-        } else if (jsonProvider.isList(container)) {
+            jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), container);
+        }
 
-            for (Object value : jsonProvider.toList(container)) {
-                if (jsonProvider.isContainer(value)) {
-                    scan(value, result, jsonProvider);
-                }
+        for (Object value : jsonProvider.toIterable(container)) {
+            if (jsonProvider.isContainer(value)) {
+                scan(value, result, jsonProvider);
             }
         }
     }
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/WildcardFilter.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/WildcardFilter.java
index f5acbaaf..6be0d7af 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/WildcardFilter.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/internal/filter/WildcardFilter.java
@@ -16,8 +16,6 @@ package com.jayway.jsonpath.internal.filter;
 
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.JsonProvider;
 
-import java.util.List;
-
 /**
  * @author Kalle Stenflo
  */
@@ -29,17 +27,17 @@ public class WildcardFilter extends PathTokenFilter {
 
     @Override
     public Object filter(Object obj, JsonProvider jsonProvider) {
-        List<Object> result = jsonProvider.createList();
+        Object result = jsonProvider.createArray();
 
-        if (jsonProvider.isList(obj)) {
-            for (Object current : jsonProvider.toList(obj)) {
-                for (Object value : jsonProvider.toMap(current).values()) {
-                    result.add(value);
+        if (jsonProvider.isArray(obj)) {
+            for (Object current : jsonProvider.toIterable(obj)) {
+                for (Object value : jsonProvider.toIterable(current)) {
+                    jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), value);
                 }
             }
         } else {
-            for (Object value : jsonProvider.toMap(obj).values()) {
-                result.add(value);
+            for (Object value : jsonProvider.toIterable(obj)) {
+                jsonProvider.setProperty(result, jsonProvider.length(result), value);
             }
         }
         return result;
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/JsonProvider.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/JsonProvider.java
index 67d008b4..dc4b295e 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/JsonProvider.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/JsonProvider.java
@@ -18,8 +18,7 @@ import com.jayway.jsonpath.InvalidJsonException;
 
 import java.io.InputStream;
 import java.io.Reader;
-import java.util.List;
-import java.util.Map;
+import java.util.Collection;
 
 /**
  * @author Kalle Stenflo
@@ -37,60 +36,76 @@ public interface JsonProvider {
 
     String toJson(Object obj);
 
-    Map<String, Object> createMap();
+    Object createMap();
 
-    List<Object> createList();
+    Iterable createArray();
 
     
     Object clone(Object model);
 
     /**
-     * checks if object is <code>instanceof</code> <code>java.util.List</code> or <code>java.util.Map</code>
+     * checks if object is a map or an array
      *
      * @param obj object to check
-     * @return true if List or Map
+     * @return true if obj is a map or an array
      */
     boolean isContainer(Object obj);
 
     /**
-     * checks if object is <code>instanceof</code> <code>java.util.List</code>
+     * checks if object is an array
      *
      * @param obj object to check
-     * @return true if List
+     * @return true if obj is an array
      */
-     boolean isList(Object obj);
+     boolean isArray(Object obj);
 
     /**
-     * Converts give object to a List
+     * Get the length of an array or object
+     * @param obj an array or an object
+     * @return the number of entries in the array or object
+     */
+     int length(Object obj);
+     
+    /**
+     * Converts given object to an {@link Iterable}
      *
-     * @param list
-     * @return
+     * @param obj an array or an object
+     * @return the entries for an array or the values for a map
      */
-     List<Object> toList(Object list);
-
+     Iterable<Object> toIterable(Object obj);
 
+     
     /**
-     * Converts given object to a Map
+     * Returns the keys from the given object or the indexes from an array
      *
-     * @param map
-     * @return
+     * @param obj an array or an object
+     * @return the keys for an object or the indexes for an array
      */
-     Map<String, Object> toMap(Object map);
+     Collection<String> getPropertyKeys(Object obj);
 
     /**
-     * Extracts a value from a Map
+     * Extracts a value from an object or array
      *
-     * @param map
-     * @param key
-     * @return
+     * @param obj an array or an object
+     * @param key a String key or a numerical index
+     * @return the entry at the given key, i.e. obj[key]
      */
-     Object getMapValue(Object map, String key);
+     Object getProperty(Object obj, Object key);
+     
+    /**
+      * Sets a value in an object or array
+      *
+      * @param obj an array or an object
+      * @param key a String key or a numerical index
+      * @param value the value to set
+      */
+     void setProperty(Object obj, Object key, Object value);
 
     /**
-     * checks if object is <code>instanceof</code> <code>java.util.Map</code>
+     * checks if object is a map (i.e. no array)
      *
      * @param obj object to check
-     * @return true if Map
+     * @return true if the object is a map
      */
      boolean isMap(Object obj);
 
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/AbstractJsonProvider.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/AbstractJsonProvider.java
index c0abb31e..10999058 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/AbstractJsonProvider.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/AbstractJsonProvider.java
@@ -15,9 +15,12 @@
 package com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.impl;
 
 import com.jayway.jsonpath.spi.JsonProvider;
+
 import org.apache.commons.lang3.SerializationUtils;
 
 import java.io.Serializable;
+import java.util.ArrayList;
+import java.util.Collection;
 import java.util.List;
 import java.util.Map;
 
@@ -32,67 +35,111 @@ public abstract class AbstractJsonProvider implements JsonProvider {
     }
 
     /**
-     * checks if object is <code>instanceof</code> <code>java.util.List</code> or <code>java.util.Map</code>
+     * checks if object is a map or an array
      *
      * @param obj object to check
-     * @return true if List or Map
+     * @return true if obj is a map or an array
      */
     public boolean isContainer(Object obj) {
-        return (isList(obj) || isMap(obj));
+        return (isArray(obj) || isMap(obj));
     }
 
     /**
-     * checks if object is <code>instanceof</code> <code>java.util.List</code>
+     * checks if object is an array
      *
      * @param obj object to check
-     * @return true if List
+     * @return true if obj is an array
      */
-    public boolean isList(Object obj) {
+    public boolean isArray(Object obj) {
         return (obj instanceof List);
     }
 
     /**
-     * Converts give object to a List
+     * Extracts a value from an object or array
      *
-     * @param list object to convert
-     * @return object as list
+     * @param obj an array or an object
+     * @param key a String key or a numerical index
+     * @return the entry at the given key, i.e. obj[key]
      */
-    @SuppressWarnings({"unchecked"})
-    public List<Object> toList(Object list) {
-        return (List<Object>) list;
+    public Object getProperty(Object obj, Object key) {
+      if (isMap(obj))
+        return ((Map) obj).get(key.toString());
+      else{
+        int index = key instanceof Integer? (Integer) key : Integer.parseInt(key.toString());
+        return ((List) obj).get(index);
+      }
     }
-
-
+        
     /**
-     * Converts given object to a Map
+     * Sets a value in an object or array
      *
-     * @param map object to convert
-     * @return object as map
+     * @param obj an array or an object
+     * @param key a String key or a numerical index
+     * @param value the value to set
      */
-    @SuppressWarnings({"unchecked"})
-    public Map<String, Object> toMap(Object map) {
-        return (Map<String, Object>) map;
+    public void setProperty(Object obj, Object key, Object value) {
+        if (isMap(obj))
+          ((Map) obj).put(key.toString(), value);
+        else{
+          int index = key instanceof Integer? (Integer) key : Integer.parseInt(key.toString());
+          ((List) obj).add(index, value);
+        }
     }
+    
 
     /**
-     * Extracts a value from a Map
+     * checks if object is a map (i.e. no array)
      *
-     * @param map map to read from
-     * @param key key to read
-     * @return value of key in map
+     * @param obj object to check
+     * @return true if the object is a map
      */
-    public Object getMapValue(Object map, String key) {
-        return toMap(map).get(key);
+    public boolean isMap(Object obj) {
+        return (obj instanceof Map);
     }
-
+    
     /**
-     * checks if object is <code>instanceof</code> <code>java.util.Map</code>
+     * Returns the keys from the given object or the indexes from an array
      *
-     * @param obj object to check
-     * @return true if Map
+     * @param obj an array or an object
+     * @return the keys for an object or the indexes for an array
      */
-    public boolean isMap(Object obj) {
-        return (obj instanceof Map);
+    public Collection<String> getPropertyKeys(Object obj) {
+        if (isArray(obj)){
+            List l = (List) obj;
+            List<String> keys = new ArrayList<String>(l.size());
+            for (int i = 0; i < l.size(); i++){
+              keys.add(String.valueOf(i));
+            }
+            return keys;
+        }
+        else{
+            return ((Map)obj).keySet();
+        }
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * Get the length of an array or object
+     * @param obj an array or an object
+     * @return the number of entries in the array or object
+     */
+    public int length(Object obj) {
+        if (isArray(obj)){
+          return ((List)obj).size();
+        }
+        return getPropertyKeys(obj).size();
+    }
+    
+    /**
+     * Converts given object to an {@link Iterable}
+     *
+     * @param obj an array or an object
+     * @return the entries for an array or the values for a map
+     */
+    public Iterable<Object> toIterable(Object obj) {
+       if (isArray(obj))
+         return ((Iterable) obj);
+       else
+         return ((Map)obj).values();
     }
 
 }
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/JacksonProvider.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/JacksonProvider.java
index f70aa747..2088ffb7 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/JacksonProvider.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/JacksonProvider.java
@@ -85,7 +85,7 @@ public class JacksonProvider extends AbstractJsonProvider implements MappingProv
     }
 
     @Override
-    public List<Object> createList() {
+    public List<Object> createArray() {
         return new LinkedList<Object>();
     }
 
diff --git a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/JsonSmartJsonProvider.java b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/JsonSmartJsonProvider.java
index 72cb5cbd..1014e5ff 100644
--- a/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/JsonSmartJsonProvider.java
+++ b/json-path/src/main/java/com/jayway/jsonpath/spi/impl/JsonSmartJsonProvider.java
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ public class JsonSmartJsonProvider extends AbstractJsonProvider {
         return containerFactory.createObjectContainer();
     }
 
-    public List<Object> createList() {
+    public List<Object> createArray() {
         return containerFactory.createArrayContainer();
     }