"The Child by Tiger" by Thomas Wolfe uses literary elements such as contrast, repetition, allusion, and point of view to develop the meaning of the story 's title concerning good versus evil. In the story, the author questions why God makes evil people along with good people. The narration from the point of view of Spangler provides a unique perspective concerning the development of the idea of good versus evil as he grows up in a racist environment where slavery was still popular. Spangler looks up to Dick because he is very knowledgeable and helpful. He taught the boys how to box, throw a football, make a fire, and lift a weight (626-627). He did a lot of work around the house like cook, light the furnace, and drive the family around;
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Spangler always thought there was something " troubling and bewildering" (628) about the way that Dick acted but he disregarded his feelings because they …show more content…
Dick was not born or made evil like "The Tiger" or the narrator suggests. Spangler says that Dick "came from the dark heart of the secret and undiscovered South"(643) which alludes to the fact that the act of being a slave forced Dick to snap and become a murderer. At the same time, Spangler also states that Dick was "a token of the other side of man 's dark soul" and a "symbol of man 's evil innocence" (643) that brings out the darkness within the others around him . Dick was "a friend, a brother and a mortal enemy, an unknown demon" therefore he was "two worlds together-- a tiger and a child" (643) but the white community saw him as only a tiger even before he started his rampage just based on his skin tone. Dick brings out the worst side of the white townspeople when they decide to start a lynch mob. The repetition of the animal imagery in the story that alludes to "The Tiger" strengthens the argument that Dick was an evil person and/or a vicious tiger by mentioning his "great black paw" (625) and how he hunted his prey as "cunning and crafty as a cat" (626). His soft steps "like a cat" often caught the boys off guard when Dick would suddenly be upon them. By calling his skill at shooting a "prowess" (626) they could be comparing him to a lioness or tigress
Spangler always thought there was something " troubling and bewildering" (628) about the way that Dick acted but he disregarded his feelings because they …show more content…
Dick was not born or made evil like "The Tiger" or the narrator suggests. Spangler says that Dick "came from the dark heart of the secret and undiscovered South"(643) which alludes to the fact that the act of being a slave forced Dick to snap and become a murderer. At the same time, Spangler also states that Dick was "a token of the other side of man 's dark soul" and a "symbol of man 's evil innocence" (643) that brings out the darkness within the others around him . Dick was "a friend, a brother and a mortal enemy, an unknown demon" therefore he was "two worlds together-- a tiger and a child" (643) but the white community saw him as only a tiger even before he started his rampage just based on his skin tone. Dick brings out the worst side of the white townspeople when they decide to start a lynch mob. The repetition of the animal imagery in the story that alludes to "The Tiger" strengthens the argument that Dick was an evil person and/or a vicious tiger by mentioning his "great black paw" (625) and how he hunted his prey as "cunning and crafty as a cat" (626). His soft steps "like a cat" often caught the boys off guard when Dick would suddenly be upon them. By calling his skill at shooting a "prowess" (626) they could be comparing him to a lioness or tigress