Setting, Characters, Point of View, and Symbolism in the Story Powder - Essay Example

The present essay has identified that factor that makes the character of Jeremy Reeds unnatural is the fact that his body has no hair. It is said that his mother was struck by lightning while she was pregnant with him. This caused the brain to have an electromagnetic charge. It is the charge that prevents hair from growing in his body. Jeremy strikes off as a very caring person. This is demonstrated when they went hunting. When he realized that Harley had shot a doe, he became so touched. He felt pity for the animal, for in the animal he saw a creature that ought to be granted more life, not mercilessly slaughtered.

His caring nature is also demonstrated when Box and other classmates attacked him. They beat him and strip him naked for no good reason. When Box is killed by electric shock, he uses his supernormal ability to grant him life, by reviving his spirits. He is also influential. The pain that he had for having seen the doe die is transferred to Harley. When he brought down the animal with his gun, he felt very comfortable. However, upon the tender touch from Jeremy, he suddenly felt the pain. This character is also obedient.

When Sheriff Barnum called upon him to help communicate with his dying wife, he gladly obliged and got to help Sheriff understand the desires of her dying wife. Sheriff Barnum is a caring person. When his wife was sick, he was so troubled and did not know how to help her feel better. Although one may dispute this by arguing that he wished her death when she became so sick and in pain that she could not talk, this was out of his care for her. He felt that instead of his wife suffering the agony of pain, death would have been an escape from the pain.

He does what his dying wife wished to be done, letting her die a peaceful death. John Box, a fellow student of Jeremy, comes out as a very aggressive character. On the occasion when they went out to hunt with other school mates, he threatened Jeremy with a gun. He is also very self-centered. He had the attitude that it should always be him, and no one else. Whenever a colleague had the luck to win in a given circumstance, he would always want to victimize him or her. It pained him so much when he realized that Jeremy had supernatural abilities.

He did not like the fact that Jeremy had such skills in class, especially in physics, and the skills and intellect to handle things outside classrooms (Roberts and Zweig 379). This character even accuses Jeremy of homosexuality, an allegation that he cannot validate. He is a thief since he steals Jeremy’s hat. Harley, Sheriff’s deputy can be said to be skillful. While other hunters roamed around with no catch and others like John Box picked up fights with other hunters, Harley skillfully shot a doe, bringing it down with just one attempt.

Lindsey Kelloway is a loving and respectful person. She loved Jeremy so much and showed her concern for him despite the misunderstanding from other members of society. Her respect is seen when she was forced by her father to stop seeing Jeremy. Her respect for her father had to supersede her love for Jeremy.