Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered

The concept of home is foreign to the protagonist of Harris and Me when he first arrives on the Larson’s farm. Never having experienced a loving and supportive family, he is met with more than culture shock when he spends his summer on the farm. Through working, playing, eating, and living together, he establishes his place as part of the Larson family by the novel’s conclusion.

In the early stages of the summer, the protagonist feels out of place, confused, and awestruck by his new surroundings and the people he is living with. He cannot believe it when Harris wakes him up before dawn on the first day, completely dark, pitch black in the room” (12), and drags him out to play. Even though he is unsure of himself, he follows along. By mid-way through the summer, the protagonist is fully integrated into the routine of the farm and his time with Harris and the family. He contributes equally to the workload, eagerly awakes to play, and builds bonds with animals on the farm like Buzzer the lynx and Bill the horse.

Despite his increasing familiarity with farm life and the Larsons, the protagonist does not feel truly at home until he witnesses Louie’s miniature creations have grown to include himself as part of the family.