In “The Prairie” Bill appears to be a child trapped in the body of a strong, tall, and bold man. From the narrators point of view Bill is deemed childish and imprudent since he is always oblivious of what is happening around him. The narrator describes Bill as a simple-minded person who has a hard time trying to comprehend the circumstances that they are facing. This could be substantiated through the following quotation:
“Bill isn’t the sharpest tack in the drawer. He’s been that way pretty much his whole life or at least since I’ve known him, which is close to the time he left the womb.”
Through the aforementioned quotation, specifically through the idiom, one realizes how the narrator describes Bill as an inane person. Moreover, we get to know that the narrator and Bill have been childhood friends, …show more content…
This quotation is noteworthy since he does not realize that the way he views Bill, is precisely the same way Mrs. Janson views him. The narrator’s kindness, and the so-called loyalty that his is showing towards Bill, is patronizing and in other words derogative. One could argue that Mrs. Janson’s outlook on the narrator depicts the narrator’s very own way of thinking of Bill. Thus, the narrator is no better than Mrs. Janson.
The story is told from a first-person point of view where we are only acquainted with the narrator’s thoughts and feelings, and we also have a limited access to the other characters thoughts. Moreover, it is a retrospective narrative since it is told from the point of view of Johnny looking back on past events. We also notice that the author incorporates different narrative voices throughout the story. This could be perceived through the dialogue between the Johnny and Bill:
“”Johnny, why’d we have to leave?” Bill asks with a sincere lack of understanding. “Those people were after you. And if they found you, there’s no telling what they would’ve done.” I
“Bill isn’t the sharpest tack in the drawer. He’s been that way pretty much his whole life or at least since I’ve known him, which is close to the time he left the womb.”
Through the aforementioned quotation, specifically through the idiom, one realizes how the narrator describes Bill as an inane person. Moreover, we get to know that the narrator and Bill have been childhood friends, …show more content…
This quotation is noteworthy since he does not realize that the way he views Bill, is precisely the same way Mrs. Janson views him. The narrator’s kindness, and the so-called loyalty that his is showing towards Bill, is patronizing and in other words derogative. One could argue that Mrs. Janson’s outlook on the narrator depicts the narrator’s very own way of thinking of Bill. Thus, the narrator is no better than Mrs. Janson.
The story is told from a first-person point of view where we are only acquainted with the narrator’s thoughts and feelings, and we also have a limited access to the other characters thoughts. Moreover, it is a retrospective narrative since it is told from the point of view of Johnny looking back on past events. We also notice that the author incorporates different narrative voices throughout the story. This could be perceived through the dialogue between the Johnny and Bill:
“”Johnny, why’d we have to leave?” Bill asks with a sincere lack of understanding. “Those people were after you. And if they found you, there’s no telling what they would’ve done.” I