Literature Analysis #3

The Tent by: Gary paulsen


This book is about a father being very sick of being poor. He cant stand just scraping by day to day. One day he comes up with the idea to start to preach. He figures that he will get money for preaching religous things at people and it will make him rich in the process. Throughout the book steve ( his son) starts to notice that it is wrong  to preach the word about god when you have never been to church, let a lone never reading the bible.This is what the story is about.

The theme of this bok in my opinion would be, "you should be happy with what you got and who you have". and you probably shouldnt start any fake church's. Steven is pretty skeptical about the whole church thing. In the begining of the book he even says to his father "I don't think it's that bad." Steven doesnt really care about money, just being together with his dad.

The authors tone is pretty sympathetic about the situation of being poor. "And it had stayed bad until this evening, when he listened to his father go futher down that he'd ever heard." "Then the factory had closed and gone to another country-- Steven thought mexico-- and even his father, who had been a foreman of a whole shift, was terminated" " We live in a ten-year-old rented trailer in a trailer park,". yeah throughout the story it is pretty sympathetic.

"I'm sick of being poor" This is an example of indirect characterization. "no not illegal at all. We're going to help people." this is another example of indirect characterization. Steven is a 14 year old boy. this is an example of direct characterization. Him going along with his fathers plans is another example of direct characterization.

There arent any changes in his tone when he talks about the characters. they basically will stay the same. I didnt notice anything different through out the book.

The protagonist is a pretty round character. He realises that all the things him and his dad are doing are bad. He was just happy with him and his dad just living in there trailer at the trailer park. he didnt mind not having a lot but he was happy to have his father. (his mother had left because she was tired of living that way)

I feel like i have come out meeting a person only because i know a few people in that kind of situation so its easy to understand his feelings and his dads feelings. The situation being that they are poor and need money. "Steven shrugged. " I don't think it's that bad"" Steven doesn't care that they are poor. he just wants to be with his dad.