The Village Watchman Literary Analysis

The setting of Terry William’s story is crucial to the understanding of how nature, nurture and home ecological niche affect the development of a human being. Some theorists believe the cause of a disability is either because of nature or nurture, not both. Kagan and Shunk (2013, 1995) state, “It is not a choice of one or the other, nature or nurture, but a coexisting harmony between the two that leads to the final product. Both nature and nurture are equally responsible for the growth and development of a human being.” Williams’ (1995) short story “The Village Watchman” demonstrates how the development of Alan is affected by nature, nurture, and home ecological niche. Alan is twenty-eight and was born with a brain injury. “Alan