“The Child by Tiger”
p. 625
By
Thomas Wolfe (1900-1938)
(First published in 1937)
Thomas Wolfe
http://library.uncwil.edu/wolfe/wolfe.html
• Major modern American
novelist
• Also had many short stories
published in magazines
• Born and raised in Asheville,
North Carolina
Thomas Wolfe
• Wrote four autobiographical novels
– Look Homeward, Angel, published in
1929, was first
– Of Time and the River, the second, was
published in 1935
Types of Conflict
– Person vs. person
– Person vs. self
– Person vs. nature
–
–
–
–
Blacks vs. whites
Blacks vs. blacks
Whites vs. blacks
Whites vs. whites
Movement of Action
• Exposition
– Dick Prosser is introduced.
• Complication
– The boys see the rifle.
• Climax
– The manhunt takes place.
• Denouement
– Spangler reflects from a distance.
Both natural and man-made
• Man-made Setting (hostile)
– Town’s social and economic structure based
on white dominance over blacks.
• Jobs
• Homes
– Parallels Wolfe’s hometown of Asheville, NC
• Natural Setting (hostile)
– Snow storm
• Protagonist=Dick Prosser
– Round character
– Man of superior abilities
– Highly religious
– Often in situations that are an affront
to his human dignity
– Constantly suppressing emotions
– Experiences indiscriminate outbreak
• Antagonist=white society
• Title
– Refers to Blake’s poem and the contrasting
of innocence and savagery in the human soul
• Point of View
– First person singular told from Spangler’s
viewpoint
• Snow Storm:
– Foreshadowing of
trouble
– Violence of storm
parallels violence of
human actions
– Covering of white
snow symbolizes white
dominance
• Looting of Cash
Eager’s place
– Mob mentality
– Animal lust
• Dick’s physical
description
– red eyes
– paw (hand)
– removal of shoes at
end
– Both violence and evil exist in the
human soul alongside gentleness and
goodness.
– Like all other aspects of nature, human
nature has two sides—one beautiful
and orderly and one repulsive and
chaotic.
• Like “The Most Dangerous Game,” this
story has suspense, violence, and
surprise.
• Artistic unity, however, makes it more
credible, complex, and significant.
• The conflicts comment on the character,
geographical area, and spirit of the times.