Black Cowboy and a boy called Slow: similarities and
differences.
“A
boy called Slow” and “Black Cowboy, Wild Horses” are two very important
stories, since they present us two interesting characters. These characters
have many similarities and many differences when we compare them. Slow is the
main character of “A boy called Slow”, and Bob is the main character of “Black
Cowboy, Wild Horses”.
Slow and Bob are similar in many
ways. They both could understand nature very well, which represented important
aspects in the stories. Slow and Bob were very patient, and this trait provided
them with good results in their journeys. They both proved themselves brave, as
well as good leaders, and their actions allowed this to happen. Slow was also
similar to Bob as the geographical features of his community influenced him.
This represents different actions depending on weather, animals, and other
elements. Finally, they were both honorable for their communities, and proved
themselves through their actions.
Although they had many similarities,
Slow and Bob were also different in many ways. For instance, the narrator in
“The bow called Slow” is a third-person limited narrator that gives us a lot of
information about the main character. However, the narrator in the other story
is a third-person objective narrator, and it does not give us information about
Bob’s thoughts and feelings. Slow, on one hand, is a round character, which
means that his personality changes as the story progresses. Bob, on the other hand,
is a flat character. He does not change, not even after the events. Slow was a
free man, who was always surrounded by his community, but Bob used to be a
slave before the events on the story. The main tool the narrator uses to
differentiate Bob and Slow is telling us Slow’s childhood, and omitting Bob’s.
This way, the two narrators are telling us that, as Slow was a free man, he had
all the conditions to remember his past. As Bob used to be a slave, his
childhood was erased. Finally, Slow’s story is related to his need for a name.
On the other hand, Bob does not give much importance about his name, as if it
were not even his.
In conclusion, Slow and Bob were
strong characters, with very interesting personalities. Their similarities and
differences show the reader how characters can be constructed differently in
literature.
By: Caio Peroni
