Samuel lessons learned The story “Samuel” by Grace Paley takes place on a moving subway headed towards the Bronx. The passengers introduce Samuel and friends as tough little boys that are not afraid of anything. “The boys are just being boys” is also used. Many of the passengers had opportunities to tell them to calm down or even to tell them to stop. This could of have prevented the death of Samuel. Some men relive their childhood through the boy’s and many of the ladies shaking their head with disapproval. A woman passenger does approach the boys only to be laughed at when she warns them about their behavior. As another onlooker thinks he is doing them a favor by pulling the emergency cord. The end result is the death This gives the indication boys are up to no good. We also can see foreshadowing when one the men in a car starts to remember his past boyhood “One of them had ridden the tail of a speeding truck, from New York to Rockaway Beach without getting off, without his sore fingers losing hold.” Although he indicates nothing happened to him then or later it may give an impression that something is going to happen to one of the boys. The other example of foreshadowing is when one of the lady passenger’s confronts the boys. “You boys will be hurt. You’ll be killed. She states not only will be hurt but you could die this phrase sets up for the climax of Samuel’s death. Through the theme, tone and foreshadowing of Grace Paley’s short story Samuel gives the reader’s mixed feeling of how the passenger’s handled the boys on the subway. Through the theme we learn that people cannot be replaced. The tone gives us the feeling that the situation is serious and should not be taken lightly. With the foreshadowing from many of the passenger thoughts and actions gives the reader thoughts that something was going to happen to one the boys. The reader is lead to believe that ever action will have a reaction even a
