The Woods

The story starts with the narrator, Justin, and his father in the woods. Justin is twelve at the time. They stop a mule deer tangled in the barbed wire fence. The animal is still alive at this point. However, the father insists that his son to kill the deer. The image of Justin killing the deer greatly haunts him throughout his life. It causes him to hate his father, the woods and hunting. However, when the father calls and asks the son to go hunting, the son agrees. The two men go into the woods with the father’s dog named Boo. Justin feels a little bit of resentment towards the dog because his father is paying more attention to the dog than to him. Boo then finds a body in the woods. From the site of the body, it is apparent that the body has been there a very long time. Justin wants to go and immediately get help and contact the police. However, Justin’s father puts it off until the next day. That night Justin hears sounds in the woods. However, he does not say anything, and internalizes his fear. The next day, the two men find another (newer)dead body. They decide that it is time to head home. Boo then runs across the river and disappears. Justin and his father then return to camp, only to find it tattered and destroyed. Justin begs to leave but his father will not leave without the dog. They find the a dog collar and blood in the woods. Justin suggests that it is Bigfoot that is lurking in the forest. The two men leave the woods scarred, but get away unscathed. 

The character development in this story is really strong. Justin and his father’s relationship really grows throughout the short story. This is seen best when the father decides not to shoot the mule deer (this is towards the end of the story). The author paints such a clear image of the characters thoughts and actions, and, in addition, adds many sensory details. The story is told in Justin’s perceptive and in such a way that it appears as if he is telling you the story out loud. An example of the way he almost speaks to the reader can be seen when he says, “Have you ever noticed, when you lay your head to your pillow and listen- really listen- you can hear footsteps? This is your pulse, the veins in your ear swelling and constricting, slightly shifting against the cotton” (52).  Some of the strong character description is evidenced in the following quote, “Whereas I- with my freshly deodorized armpits, and my $100 safari jacket with Velcro compartments and all sorts of zippers and buttons........ did not feel nearly as comfortable (54).” This quote is so strong because in the sentence prior, it is contrasted with the father being, “natural and fearless” (54).