Executive Summary
In the story “Adams” by George Saunders (2004), the narrative comes from the protagonist’s first person, who describes the events that occur to him and his feelings during them. In particular, the narrator occasionally watches his neighbor Adams standing in front of his son’s room, almost naked, only in shorts. Enraged by these events, the narrator talks to himself, asking himself questions about how to act. In addition, the story features multiple scenes of fights between the narrator and Adams. After contemplating a possible attack on his family, the story ends with the protagonist deciding to sneak into a neighbor’s house and take everything he could use for killing. However, the narrator is caught by Adams’s family, whom he is forced to kill to survive.
Introduction
Have you ever tried to put yourself in the position of another person, understand their thoughts and suggest their further actions? In the context of the story “Adams,” these actions play an essential role in the life of the narrator, who tries to understand the further deeds of his neighbor Adams and put himself in his place. As the stage for the thesis statement, it is important to say that every person considers their family to be the most precious thing they have. Consequently, people are capable of doing unthinkable things to keep it safe and secure. This example is exemplary of observing the actions of a man who has closed himself to the world. The story of “Adams” is an example of the consistent thinking of a person who, because of his beliefs and mental instability, commits a crime that he thought his neighbor Adams would commit. As controlling ideas, one should state the idea of latent aggression and instability of the narrator’s personality, the idea of a biased point of view, and the willingness to save the family that has come to desire to destroy another family.
The Voice and Personality of the Narrator
Describing the narrator’s personality, one should stress that it is full of aggression and psychological instability. The reader can observe these qualities throughout the entire story. Moreover, it is essential to pay attention to the fact that both the narrator’s actions and thoughts are aggressive. As a confirmation, citing an example from the text that reflects the character’s imbalance is important. As Saunders (2004) states, “I would definitely use that to bash in the head of my enemy in his sleep” (p. 5). These are the words the narrator speaks when he considers a weapon in Adams’ home that the latter could theoretically use to kill the narrator’s wife and child. It is important to stress that while considering the inner voice of the story’s protagonist, one can note that he is confused and uncertain about his actions. Throughout the story, the narrator asks himself many rhetorical questions. In addition, his voice is incoherent and inconsistent, complicating understanding his thoughts as one reads the story. Consequently, the protagonist’s actions directly reflect his confused and aggressive beliefs. As mentioned earlier, he sought to harm Adams and succeeded at the story’s end.
Point of View and What Effect It Has on the Story
Besides being aggressive, the narrator’s point of view can be described as prejudiced and confused. Because of his biases, the protagonist is convinced that his neighbor, Adams, seeks to harm him in all possible ways. It is noteworthy that only he in his family experiences such a fear of what his neighbor does. In particular, considering the examples from the text, it is essential to emphasize that at the beginning of the story, there is a scene where the narrator once again tries to beat Adams. However, the protagonist’s wife tries to reason with her husband and gets into a situation. All subsequent actions are based on the narrator’s own point of view. He asks himself questions and answers them himself, living in his own world, detached from reality. For example, according to Saunders (2004), “if that was me, if I had that hate level, what would I do?” (p. 5). Such situations are repeated, and the level of aggression and prejudice on the part of the protagonist of history is increasing. This effect has an impact on both the general events of history and its end.
Mood and Themes of the Story
The narrator’s anxiety and aggression regarding the desire to save his family transformed into the crime of killing another person. While reading the story, the reader experiences confused feelings that result from the narrator’s chaotic and unstable mood. The themes presented in the story can be described as loneliness and confusion while struggling with life experiences and the past. All actions in the story get a reflection from the main hero. Moreover, it is vital to the state that the protagonist takes all the troubles to his own account and regards them not only as an insult to himself but also as a direct threat to his family. For example, after the narrator sees Adams, he notices his look. As a result of his thoughts, as Saunders (2004) states, “never have I received such a hateful look” (p. 4). Another topic worth highlighting is the possible past traumatic experience of the hero. This factor corresponds to the third main point of the paper, which highlights the conscious search for threats and insults by the narrator. Finally, convinced he is correct, the protagonist decides to act before it is too late.
Conclusion
In conclusion, it is important to stress that a person who is convinced of their right and unwilling to accept is able to commit various unusual things, including criminal acts. The protagonist of the story “Adams” by George Saunders demonstrates a high level of prejudice against threatening his child and family when it leads him to commit a crime by killing the alleged enemy. The essay considered vital points such as human bias and psychic instability. The idea of protecting the family was given special consideration. Additionally, by citing the particular example from the text, it was possible to highlight that the protagonist was alone in his willingness to destroy Adams. The narrator’s behavior line was defined as complex and confusing, as reflected in his incoherent conversations with himself and his actions. Consequently, the story’s mood and themes became the individual’s confusion and uncertainty, as well as the artificially created dangers and anxieties. Given the firm conviction in the actions of such people as the protagonist of the story “Adams,” is it possible to show him the other side of life and extract a man from his own imaginary world?
Reference
Saunders, G. (2004). Adams. The New Yorker. Web.