cheese

Rotten Cheese

‘The Farmer and the Dell’ is a rhyme meant for children. I am the Cheese, by Robert Cormier, is a book meant for no one. The story begins with an odd child, Adam, riding his bike to Rutterburb, Vermont (1). Throughout the story, Adam tells his history and childhood to man called Brint in a small room like a psychiatrist’s office, which seems to be in the future compared to Adam’s bike-riding story. As Adam tells his story to Brint, he slowly remembers pieces of his earlier childhood that were unknown. The bike marathon part of the story ends up actually being part of Adam’s imagination. All of the people he meets are actually workers/patients at a mental institution where he is being interrogated by Brint. Cormier uses this confusing attempt at a story to develop Adam’s character and the style of the story.

Throughout the story, Adam develops in many ways. Cormier uses the ways Adam reacts to other people and situations to show how Adam develops. Indirectly, Cormier uses the dog attack on Adam to show Adam’s fear of dogs (35). Cormier also directly states that “the dog is ferocious and I am terrified,” (35). Adam was also a calm reclusive child until he met Amy (55). She helped to bring out Adam and helped him to share his feelings ( ).

Cormier uses the time and place to show the passage of time between storylines and the background of the story. The setting changes when the storylines change, such as when Adam is taking his trip to when he is telling Brint his story. The point of view of the story also changes. When Adam is riding his bike, the point of view is from Adam. This is used effectively to show Adam’s feelings and reactions. The point of view then changes, while Adam is talking to Brint, to third person. This is also effective by allowing the reader to ‘witness’ Adam’s thoughts. Events that occur are told in third person to help the reader understand how Adam is feeling even without telling the story from his point of view.