A teenage girl from the hill family gives Luke his first exposure to sex, the sight of a naked female body, which convinces him that he has indeed grown up and is no longer a mere child but definitely on his way to becoming a man. He is also exposed to other events during this cotton season, including a murder, that peels away the layers of skin of childhood innocence and forces him to make choices that are difficult enough for adults, much less a seven-year-old. Luke also watches his family grow when their opinions of people they had once felt disdain towards changes as situations and circumstance leads them to a change of heart and attitude.

Although Grisham's gives the narration of the story to a seven-year-old, Luke presents it as an adult and though it is quite charming and touching to witness the family's daily plight, there is...
[ View Full Essay]