(A Discussion on the Similarities and Differences of the Main Characters in “Checkouts” and “The Girl Who Can”) It’s amusing how the point of view of a story can change its entire meaning. If in first person, one character might seem like the antagonist, when in third they almost seem to be the hero. The difference between first and third person point of view is simple; in first person, the narrator is a part of the main action of the plot, while in third, they are outside of it, an stranger looking in, almost like a god. They know all the thoughts and emotions of all the characters, even the unimportant side characters, though those are not always shared, depending on their relevancy to the plot. In the different stories being analyzed, the first, “Checkout”, is in third person point of view. However, in the second, “The Girl Who Can”, it is in first person point of view. This makes comparing and contrasting the main characters slightly difficult, but not altogether impossible. In this essay, it will be discussed the unique characteristics of the protagonist in “Checkout”, then in “The Girl Who Can”, finished by the …show more content…
Growing up in a real village in Africa, she has a simple childhood. A key conflict in the story is her legs; her grandmother, who lives with her and her own mother, is always insisting that they are too skinny. Adjona does not understand why it is so important to her family to have large legs. Her key trait is most certainly naivety. Her grandmother is quite cruel, in all honestly. She degrades both her and her mother for their mistakes, even those they had no control over. In the end, the old woman is proven wrong, however. Adjona’s thin legs carry her to victory in an important race, and from that day forward they are never criticized again. Being proud of herself no matter the odds is also a main trait for the little