Jim The Boy Character Analysis

Parallels Between Jim the Boy and the Great Depression
Authors write fictional stories that allude to events which occurred in the past. One such author, Tony Earley, wrote the fiction novel Jim the Boy. The author portrays a much documented period in American history in the framework of one family who has seen struggles but works to overcome. In Jim the Boy, the events of Jim’s life directly correlate to the time period leading up to and including the Great Depression.

The novel begins with a comparison to the Roaring 20’s where “many Americans had extra money to spend, and they spent it on consumer goods” (“The Roaring Twenties”). Jim’s 10th birthday directly references all the new, shiny things people bought during this era of prosperity.
Later in the day Jim finds, “in the middle of the dining room table… a baseball glove and a baseball bat,” gifts from his family (42). Earley uses these gifts to represent how willingly Americans spent the wealth found in their full wallets. Another important event on Jim’s birthday occurs when the uncles ask Jim to come and work the field and help plow. When Jim arrives in the field, he instantly grabs the shiny new hoe. Just as quickly Uncle Zeno halts him, instead handing over the old broken hoe. This represents that in the Twenties you still had to work for the finer things in life. Use of the new hoe went to an experienced worker, Abraham. Just like the people building the towering skyscrapers in New York, Jim had to work hard to prove himself on the family farm. He would start at the bottom just like any other worker. Earley shared one additional representation of the
Electricity blinked through the wires to Aliceville” (147). In the darkest moment a light suddenly showed itself. Earley presents the arrival of electricity in Aliceville as an analogy to the light that the election of President Franklin D. Roosevelt into office. When President Roosevelt stepped into office he brought a light with him, the New Deal plan. The New Deal “was a set of federal programs launched…in response to the calamity of the Great Depression” (Walker). This New Deal acted like the light that came to Aliceville, the promise of a better tomorrow while the American people lived in a very dim today. President Roosevelt filled America with greater hope because he had overcome the crippling disease of polio. Polio presents as a virus that, “spreads from person to person and can invade an infected person’s brain and spinal cord, causing paralysis” (“What is Polio”). A character in Jim’s life also contracts polio, Penn. When Penn contracts polio, Jim realizes how much Penn has impacted his life. Jim finds himself suddenly thrust into a position of concern for Penn rather than competing with Penn. And once Jim realizes Penn will remain ok, he treats Penn no differently than as a friend and the two toss a ball back and forth. America responded in the same way to President Roosevelt, America acknowledged his disability. And didn’t let that inhibit their ability to see the