Characterization and comparison of two short stories

Just Like That and The Rights to the Streets of Memphis

Characterization of the boy in Just Like That:

Just Like That is a story about a boy and a man who shoot kangaroos in a forest in Australia. I’m guessing that the boy is around 13 years old.

In the beginning of the story the boy feels very brave, strong and excited. He feels ready to kill.

Later in the story it’s like he doesn’t feel so motivated about hunting anymore. After he has shoot his first kangaroo, he’s very disappointed. He expected to feel like a man, but he didn’t. I assume he needs more action because of what page 27, line 21 says. “The boy was surprised to find himself with an empty gun in his hands. He pointed the gun towards the man.” I think that the boy’s thoughts during his actions here is, that if he doesn’t feel like a man when he kills kangaroos, then he might do so if he kills a human.

Page 27, line 27 says, “He waited while the man shot each kangaroo in the brain. Something inside the boy died.” From this quote, I sense that the boy doesn’t feel good about what’s happening to all the kangaroos. He doesn’t think that the man is fair and maybe that was the reason why he pointed the gun at the man just a moment before.