experience yielding authentic insights into some significant aspect of life, this is

literary fiction. The short story “The Child by Tiger” written by Thomas Wolfe is an

In order for a story to be literary fiction, the story must have a developing

character. A developing character is a character that during the course of a story

undergoes permanent change in some aspect of moral qualities, personal traits or

outlook. Wolfe carefully develops Prosser as a somewhat simple man; he has a

spotless room containing minimal items. To the children, Prosser appears as though

he could do anything. He teaches the boys how to throw a football, build a fire and

box. To the boys, Prosser is a friend and a mentor. Prosser always addresses the boys

as mister or Cap’n; this shows he felt inferior to the children. Prosser is also deeply

religious; he attends church several times a week and reads his Bible nightly. Wolfe

foreshadows Prosser’s change several times. Prosser would leave his room at night

and this implied a possible affair with the maid, Pansy. Prosser shows a built up rage

him as he hangs in the town square. Wolfe uses the symbol of the cat in Prosser to

not punch back. Prosser has an affair with Pansy; as a result he goes after her husband

mystery. The hunt drags on overnight without the mob really gaining on Prosser.

Thomas Wolfe provides a strong developing character, a plausible setting, a

of the theme. Wolfe is showing the reader the evil in the human race, not in the white

authority. Prosser moves to this small town to find work but he finds himself in an

Some topics in this essay:
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