Man and Place

As the class reads through many short stories ranging multiple generations and writing styles, it is interesting to investigate what makes these stories special from the other. Why do we read this story from the 1920's and not some other fictional tale from the same time frame that is now obsolete? All of these tales have two things in common: a compelling main character and an intriguing setting. In specific, the main character seems to have a need to be acknowledged in society, which is interesting. In The Language of Man, Carter strives to be recognized by his fellow soldiers, and basks in their compliments no matter how limited they are and when they stop, he starts losing it. Abner Snopes, in Barn Burning, constantly needs to be the center of attention, which could be a reason why he continues to burn shelters. In The Swimmer, Ned decides to escape his reality by being around people and their pools, swimming in his own delusion. Overall, most if not all of the main characters in these short stories are intriguing enough to gain our attention and thoughts of how their mind works.

Along with the personality of the main character, the setting of these captive stories has some effect that interests us. In Barn Burning, the Snopes live in a small town in Mississippi where racism is ever-present and the high class rule over the lower class. In The Swimmer, we see a mixture of wealthy and poor in a surreal area. The dirty roads and angry drivers transition immediately into a rich party. Old Woman Magoon takes the reader to a southern town where shady people and pure families mix for an entertaining read. These settings are showing the reader a world that is most likely different from one they've been in before. This new experience along with interesting, almost selfish characters create a story that will be read in generations to come.