The Man In The Well Short Story

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In the two short stories The Use of Force by William Williams, and The Man in the Well by Ira Sher all have differences, but also have some similarities. While the short story by Williams is about using force to help a child, and Sher’s story is about the kids helping a man get out of a well they both talk about helping someone in need. Both of theses stories do not have a happy outcome and leave the ending open for discussion. Theses two short stories both authors do a good job at being descriptive, and give very detailed information to the reader. Both theses authors discuss the thoughts of little kids and how they react to different situations.The kids in theses two short stories have all the power basically. While it seems to be about …show more content…

Their reaction was to not help the man, however; they could not think of a reason not to help him and the decision was final. “I never want very close to the lip of the well, or I only came to my hands and knees, so that he couldn 't see me”(116). Although none of the kids could ever see this man they didn 't allow it either. The man in the well could still hear the kids playing and having a good time so the man in the well went out on a limb and called out for help. “at first afraid to disobey the voice from the man in the well, we turned around and actually began to walk towards the nearest house”(116). The little kids knew something wasn 't right when they began to get closer to the house. The kids decided to turn around and go back to the well where they would question the man. “What 's your name”(116)? a very simple question, however; the man in the well did not think so and became angry when the kids didn 't have a ladder. The man in the well began to give more options to the children to get him out of the well. The man in the well was no longer asking he was demanding. The kids were very quiet the whole time while standing around the well. The man still asking questions the kids just stood there. The children standing around the well could not even imagine what would would be like trying to it only made matters worse. The man …show more content…

They both have children who have to face a situation. How the kids handle these situations is totally up to them. The kids take matters into their own hands by not allowing to be manipulated by an adult. While in Williams story the little girl is facing a doctor she still does not give in. The little girl does not have to do anything she doesn 't want to, and in the end is forced to do what she doesn 't want to do. In Ser’s short story the kids have the ultimate decision whether or not they will help this man. The kids not informing their parents give them all the power to do whatever they want to do. The kids had some common sense when it came to the man in the well, however; if there was a man down there they left him to die in a way. The kids all around in Sher’s story were intelligent, but should have gone for help whether it was a good idea or not. Both theses short stories everything is in the children 's control. In Williams short story the little girl was defeated, but only by force. Sher’s story the kids had won but also been defeated by the knowledge of knowing there was still a man stuck in a well. In both stories the kids have to deal with their own consequences, because they made the adult decision and that will stay with them the rest of their

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