Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered

The author never uses the protagonist’s name in the story. Why might the author have made this stylistic choice? What effect does it have on the reader, the narration, and the overall impact of the story’s events?

Each chapter title is a lesson that the protagonist learns. Is the title of each chapter all-encompassing, or does the protagonist learn more than what is stated in the chapter titles? What are the hidden lessons in each experience?

Is the narrator of Harris and Me reliable? Why or why not? Does the book’s relation of memories affect its accuracy? Does the age of the protagonist at the time the events occurred affect the nature with which he recalls these events?

Harris often swears unnecessarily, saying things like “I don’t have a damn mirror anyway” (36). Why is this aspect of Harris important for understanding his character? Is Harris pushing boundaries or just being himself?

Ernie the rooster acts as a catalyst for many of the incidents that the boys are involved in. Animals are described in detail and are a key aspect of the story. What are the most important events surrounding animals in the novel, and what does the protagonist learn from these experiences?

How are Harris and the protagonist alike? How do they differ? Do their similarities and differences change from the beginning of the novel to the end, and if so, how and why do these changes occur?

The Larsons are strangers to the protagonist at the beginning, but by the conclusion, they are family. There are major and minor events that lead to this growth; what are they, and how do they impact the protagonist’s relationship with the Larsons?

Gender roles are deep-seated in Harris and Me. Explore these gender roles and what they imply about the period and the characters themselves. Consider: If the novel’s main characters were girls instead, would the story have been the same?