Characters

The most important characters in the short story “Growing Up” by Anthony Hill are the narrator and Evan Davis. A few other second characters appear in the short story, but they are relevant for giving authenticity to the social setting and the plot.

The narrator

The narrator is the main character in the short story. His characterisation is conveyed directly (self-characterisation) and indirectly, through his actions and attitude.

When analysing the narrator, it is important to take note of two different timelines. At the time of the narration, the narrator is already an adult Aboriginal man and a father, whose life has probably been marked by racial discrimination. At the time of the narrated events, the narrator was only a pre-teenage boy, and most of his characterisation is concerned with this period in his … 

Evan Davis

Evan Davis was the narrator’s white friend when they were children. His characterisation is conveyed directly by the narrator or other characters, and indirectly, through the boy’s actions.

Evan’s outer characterisation presents him as a white boy of around eleven-twelve years old, as tall as the narrator, but with a weaker physical constitution: “We were both pretty tall for our ages.” (p. 1, ll. 7-8); “He was a bit of a weak kid that way, even if he was lanky like me.” (p. 1, ll. 19-20)

Furthermore, Evan is not good at sports, but he is good at maths. Finally, Evan comes from a …