Bullying happens every day somewhere. Because of this bullying, life can become hell for some children. But why are some children bullied? Why do some children feel the need to single out one child and bully them mercilessly? This is a problem addressed by the short story "The Highest Branch on the Tree", adapted from author Ray Bradbury.
The story first takes place in 1934 at a high school, as we are told by narrator Douglas Spaulding. We can guess that the story is set in the United States, as Douglas Spaulding attends Berendo Junior High School, and he and the other important character, Harry Hands, meet again "in downtown Chicago". Douglas tells the story chronologically, starting with when he and Harry first knew each other, and then jumping up to their meeting 40 years later.
In the first part of the story, Douglas talks about how he and the other kids bullied Harry Hands because "Harry Hands was smarter than anyone else in the whole school and bragged about his IQ ..." This, and the fact that Harry is also good at PE, makes Douglas and the other boys jealous. Since Douglas is so jealous of Harry, he can seem quite stupid. The bullying only adds to that image, but Douglas later becomes a writer, so maybe he's not that stupid. Making Douglas the author may also be an attempt to get the reader to connect him with the actual author and thus make the story more believable. Douglas' sensitivity which is also a good quality to have as a writer is also shown when he feels guilty for bullying Harry. He even occasionally thinks about it 40 years later when they meet.
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