The short story is about the fifteen years old Sam Turner. Every year she goes on a float trip with her dad. This year Cam’s uncle and a client called Layton from her uncle’s law firm follow them on the trip. Layton compliments Cam’s white teeth and teaches her how to shoot with a gun he got with him on the trip. One night Sam gives Layton some massage because he has an old injury in his bag. When Cam’s dad and uncle are going to bed they leave Sam alone with Layton.
When they are asleep Layton overturns Sam and puts his hand up under her shorts. After some time Sam finally gets him away. In the ending Sam wonders if her dad knew what happened when he went to sleep. She wants to ask her dad but end up leaving the situation. The story primarily takes place near the river they float down but also takes place back home at Sam and her father’s house in the last paragraph. A limited omniscient narrator tells the story, which is seen with Cam’s feelings. The reader only knows what she thinks. It is from Cam’s point of view and in third-person the story is told.
This does not create some special effect of being present and thus there is not near as much thrill compared to a first-person narrator. Sam Turner is the main character and the protagonist in the short story. She is a round character, but little is described about her characteristics. Particular in the scene after Layton teaches her how to shoot with his gun the reader gets an important piece of information “She’d never been so proud of anything (… ) She could feel herself grinning like an idiot. ” (Page 3 lines 95-99).
This could indicate a typical manage girl who is insecure and frustrated about her own personality, which is quite normal around her age. Sam Turner’s relationship with her father is complicated. We know that they are not so good at talking about things for instance the conversation about Cam’s scholarship at a boarding school, which they both find weird to talk about. The author sets up two options about Cam’s father’s awareness concerning Layton abuse. Either he knew what would happen to his daughter when he went to bed, but looked the other way for his brother’s new client in his law firm.
We already know Layton is an important client for Harry. This is shown when Sam observes a look between her father and Harry. “Cam’s father held the fish to the marks on the raffs rubber bow and said it wasn’t big enough. (… ) Sam saw Harry give her father a look, and her father put the fish in the cooler. ” (Page 2 lines 56-60). Cam’s father knows something about Layton and consequently behaves after this. If her dad really knew about the actions Layton did against her daughter their relationship is really lousy and money would be more worth to the dad than his own daughter.
On the other hand if he didn’t knew what was going on Cam’s doubts in the ending would be By audited incorrect and their relationship is maybe Just a little damaged after Cam’s mother past away. There aren’t any proofs, so it’s up to the reader deciding whether he is a good father or a nasty bastard. There is relatively some symbolism if you look at the story. Mailed Melody writes “Stopped liking to shoot things” instead of writing “hunting” or something else more articulate and “she felt her cheeks heat up” (page 2 lines 38-45) – which often is associated with love in different ways which all are associated with Sam.
Layton and his gun could maybe represent Layton desire after sex between the protagonist and the antagonist. The main theme is about developing from a child to an adult. In the beginning Sam is insecure and doesn’t know if she wants to go to the boarding school. She meats different obstacles in the short story that can be seen as the struggle you encounter in the teenage age years before you become an adult. In the ending she is independent and decides to take the choice about boarding school herself.
