Lansdale's the Bottoms

Lansdale's The Bottoms

The narrator of "The Bottoms" is an 80 something year old man named Harry telling what he remembers from a time in his childhood in the 1930's. It is his version of (thus far) the murder of a young black prostitute who worked in juke joints (bars). His father is a barber who owns his own barbershop and just happens to be the constable of his county. His mother is known to be the prettiest woman in the county. He has a younger sister named Thomasina, her nickname is Tom. They own a small farm with no electricity or running water and own a car but it is mostly used for his father's work and church. The narrator talks about how and his sister play in the woods a lot and their dog Toby. Toby gets hurt and it is up to Harry to put him to sleep (kill him) his sister tags along and they end up NOT being able to do it. While squirrel hunting with Toby they get lost in the woods and find the black woman's body. Harry is scared but keeps going until he, his sister and the dog get out of the woods. They find their way safely home.

I think Harry is a very practical boy who loves his family. He loves his dog too. Even though he accepts the responsibility of putting Toby down, he can't do it. He gets hopeful he will get better because he is still able to hunt and he is able to still move his tale. He does not try and "sugar coat" the situation when he and Tom are lost. He just keeps going and does not panic as most boys his age might. He also shows his maturity by not crying when he tells his father about the day. He simply tells the truth

Harry also shows he has the same curiosity as almost every other child has when it comes to being told by an adult to "go play" when what they really want to do is hear the grown up's talk. He is not biased or prejudiced either. His has the same opinion that his father does about the colored people. He feels they should be treated the same as white. While he and his father have no issues with blacks, he understands about the KKK and the opinions of most other people of that day and age.

Harry is truthful as well. He does not lie when his father has caught him and the other two boy's eaves dropping. He tells his sister what he found out while he and his father are out and does not hide much from her.

Harry also has a big mouth. He just cannot keep a secret. He tells just