The Boy

The novel’s unnamed protagonist is a preadolescent boy who runs away from his small, rural village in an unknown country. The boy is small and not yet very physically strong. Throughout the novel, he is continually suffering from some combination of hunger, thirst, or sunburn. Despite this and his general fears of his own inadequacy, he pushes himself to escape from his abuser, the bailiff.

The boy is an extremely relatable hero who is frequently faced with choices which would dishearten even a much older person. His decision to run away is a choice between continuing his brutal life as it is and almost certain death on the unhospitable plain. However, unlike the rest of the villagers and his family, the boy is not paralyzed by this choice. This agency is what separates him from the other victims and elevates him to the role of hero...