The Paper Route
The Paper Route
In the following essay I am going to make a characterization of the narrator. Furthermore I will comment on the main themes and finally analyze the mood and setting, which I think has resemblance.
The main character lives in, what he calls, a prairie town, which indicates that it is a small town, placed far away from the big city. In the first paragraph we get the impression that the main character doesn’t like to be the one person, except one girl, who doesn’t talk to anyone at the school. He tries to maintain his façade, by acting like he isn’t looking at the others: “…watched, but pretended not to watch, the others” (p.1). Clearly he is uncomfortable being the one outside the community. Furthermore he considerers talking to the girl, who doesn’t know anyone either, but this seems to be out of the question for him. This indicates a rather insecure behavior, which can be connected with the small town community where it is unusual to talk the newcomers. It is somehow safer to be in a well-known community. Later he becomes a part of the society. The story doesn’t tell us how, but one day he is a part of the boys: “I stood with the boys” (p.2). Another quotation reveals how he thinks: “I was thinking about how in a strange town, if you are quiet, no one notices, and some may like you, later” (p.1). This could be himself he is talking about. How, if you try to fit into the pattern, which is already there, it is easier to connect with the people. As a further comment to the quote, this could also be how the main character sees Evangeline. That he comes to like her. The main character and Evangeline, which is the girl, who he didn’t have the courage to talk to the first day of school, represent to different ways of adjusting. The main character works best when he is part of a group¨, where Evangeline seems to be okay with not being noticed at all. This is also to be seen here: “… and I saw that she was quiet and plainly dressed for many to
In the following essay I am going to make a characterization of the narrator. Furthermore I will comment on the main themes and finally analyze the mood and setting, which I think has resemblance.
The main character lives in, what he calls, a prairie town, which indicates that it is a small town, placed far away from the big city. In the first paragraph we get the impression that the main character doesn’t like to be the one person, except one girl, who doesn’t talk to anyone at the school. He tries to maintain his façade, by acting like he isn’t looking at the others: “…watched, but pretended not to watch, the others” (p.1). Clearly he is uncomfortable being the one outside the community. Furthermore he considerers talking to the girl, who doesn’t know anyone either, but this seems to be out of the question for him. This indicates a rather insecure behavior, which can be connected with the small town community where it is unusual to talk the newcomers. It is somehow safer to be in a well-known community. Later he becomes a part of the society. The story doesn’t tell us how, but one day he is a part of the boys: “I stood with the boys” (p.2). Another quotation reveals how he thinks: “I was thinking about how in a strange town, if you are quiet, no one notices, and some may like you, later” (p.1). This could be himself he is talking about. How, if you try to fit into the pattern, which is already there, it is easier to connect with the people. As a further comment to the quote, this could also be how the main character sees Evangeline. That he comes to like her. The main character and Evangeline, which is the girl, who he didn’t have the courage to talk to the first day of school, represent to different ways of adjusting. The main character works best when he is part of a group¨, where Evangeline seems to be okay with not being noticed at all. This is also to be seen here: “… and I saw that she was quiet and plainly dressed for many to