“Eight plus One” written by Robert Cormier is a series of stories about young white Americans. It is set earlier during the 60’s and 70’s and most stories are about the difficulties and misunderstandings that can arise in family relationships. At the beginning of each story the author gives us a brief introduction explaining why he wrote the story and where he got the idea. The tone of these stories is light and touched with humor and the narrator usually takes time to describe a characters personality well.

The stories “Going Home” from “Going Home” and “Mine on Thursdays” from “Eight plus One” depict a major difference between the white and black culture. The family in “Mine on Thursdays” has a split marriage and one child where as in “Going Home” t

Billy is the main character in “Going Home”. He is twenty-one, paints and plays football, is smart, confident and considers himself as a white person. He is ashamed of his people and degrades them. When describing his family he describes them as “Ugly auntie Rose, the metho-drinking Uncle, his dead forgotten father, his wild brother and cousin”. The other main character would be Darcy – an old aboriginal man that Billy hitchhiked on the way to bush camp. He has a gap-toothed grin and a craggy face. He knows who Billy is and tells him about the death of his father. He’s talkative and glad to be in Billy’s presence, although he irritates Billy because he reminds him how hopeless and pathetic his people are. For example Billy says to himself, “Good dog, Darcy. Have a bone, Darcy. Or will a carton of stubbies do?” He is very bitter.

The story deals with an issue that is present in today’s society – split families. The story also made me remember what it was like on my first scary ride when I was young. The way the author describes the terror that shows on the girls face during the ride describes the way I felt when I went upside down on the pirate ship.

Some topics in this essay:
Holly Howie, Robert Cormier, Monument America, Home” Billy, Western Australia, Archie Weller’s, Holly Thursdays, Carlton Billy’s, “going home”, “mine thursdays”, main character, home” “mine thursdays”, “going home” “mine, plus one”, “eight plus, home” “mine, daughter holly, person narration set, theme park, narration set, “eight plus one”, � aboriginal,