The short narrative is set at a park by a lake. “They were up on a field day tabular array at that park by the lake. by the border of the lake. with portion of a downed tree in the shoals half hidden by the bank. ” The downed tree sets the temper to be sad and dark. We besides learn that the chief characters Lane A. Dean. Jr. and his girlfriend Sheri Fisher are sitting really still on the field day tabular array. which tells us that the ambiance is rather intense. It does non state for how long they sit by the lake. but it says that the right sides of their faces get shaded so it can be assumed that they sit there for a piece. One of the chief characters is Lane A. Dean. Jr. . who is 19 old ages old and surveies accounting and concern. Lane is a really brooding individual because he reflects a batch on how he is and how he thinks he should be. “He knew it was incorrect. knew something was required of him that was non this awful frozen attention and cautiousness. but he pretended to himself he did non cognize what it was that was required. ” This shows that he is a painstaking individual and that he has high outlooks for himself.
Through the whole short narrative ideas like the mentioned quotation mark are seen. It seems like Lane is non satisfied with the manner he is and keeps comparing himself to his girlfriend. Sheri. “He was get downing to believe that he might non be serious in his religion. He was despairing to be good people. to still be able to experience he was good. ”The fact that he is traveling off from his religion makes him inquiry whether he is a good individual or non. It makes him baffled about his individuality. about who he is. Lane is besides confused when it comes to his love for his girlfriend and that could be the ground why they are non happy sitting together. Lane’s girlfriend. Sheri. is 20 old ages old. surveies to go a nurse and has a hosting occupation. She is really serious in her religion and values and she is a miss who knows what she wants. So Sheri seems more secure than Lane and more comfy in her ain tegument. In a manner Sheri is more mature. But she besides sits really still: “She was clean and concealed. ” It is shown that Sheri is non happy because she sits with her face in her custodies. So it can be concluded that they may hold a job with each other. It is a 3rd individual narrative.
The storyteller has an obvious focal point on Lane and this we see because the storyteller merely includes Lane’s ideas and feelings a batch: “Sometimes when entirely and believing or fighting to turn affair over to Jesus Christ in supplication. he would happen himself ” “He could about visualise himself tippytoing past something explosive. ” Therefore the storyteller has an interior position of Lane. We learn his sentiments. and particularly when Sheri is described – you learn that it is through Lane that she is described. The consequence of the interior position is that we merely learn how one of the chief characters is experiencing and is believing. It besides makes the information about Sheri subjective because it is Lane’s sentiment about her and non her exact ideas or feelings. We merely have Lane’s sentiment and actions and Sheri’s actions. Furthermore the short narrative is written in the past tense. and there are some flashbacks: “Two yearss before ( … ) ”Sometimes when they had prayed ” The flashbacks can edify the reader about the chief characters background. but besides confuse the reader. The short narrative consists of both short sentences and long sentences. The sentences are short when something dramatic happens and the short sentences make it more dramatic and interesting to read and it besides speeds up the reading gait.
For illustration when Lane describes the conflict within himself: “Two hearted. a dissembler to yourself either manner. ” There is no direct address. which makes it harder for the reader to construe the characters because the author influences the readers. The author is showing an reading of the characters’ address and non their exact words. There is a focal point on actions so there is a batch of verbs and besides adjectives. particularly in the beginning. There are some hard words. but all in all the vocabulary is standard degree. The chief struggle is the struggle between Lane and Sheri. First of all both of them sit really still and we hear a batch of Lane’s ideas – as if they are non speaking to each other. “It was of two great and awful ground forcess within himself. opposed and confronting each other. soundless. There would be conflict but no master. ” The conflict inside of Lane could stand for the conflict between Sheri and him. You might state that they have a job when it comes to pass oning with each other.
The struggle is that Lane does non love Sheri. “ at the determination together did non of all time include it – the word – for had he one time said it. avowed that he did love her. loved Sheri Fisher. so it all would hold been transformed. ”18 “But neither did he of all time open up and state her heterosexual out he did non love her. ” Lane expresses that if he had loved her or said to her that he loved her. they would non hold this struggle. The struggle is that Lane is non honorable with Sheri about his true feelings and this leads to the unhappy and tense atmosphere. The ground why Sheri does non state anything could be because she is waiting for Lane to come clean and be honest. At the stoping of the narrative Lane imagines what he wants Sheri to state when he tells her the truth – that he does non love her. Lane wants Sheri to state that it is all right and that she wants the best for him. Lane has been praying for love and at the terminal he comes to recognize that he has been praying for the incorrect thing. He should hold been praying for bravery – bravery to state Sheri the truth. The rubric “Good People” refers to the fact that Lane wants to be a good individual by being honest with Sheri.
It besides refers to when Lane says that he is non that serious in his religion and that he wants to be good people. to experience that he was good. Lane does non desire to lie to her or to himself. To be good is something every human being aspires to be. To be good. sort and loving to your household. friends and neighbors is something preached by the Christian church. but it is besides how people by and large want to be in malice of their faith. Lane finds out at the really terminal that he is non that serious in his religion. but that he is still able to be good by happening the bravery to be honest with Sheri.
