Harris and Me: A Summer Remembered

Imagination is the catalyst for most of the adventures and accidents that Harris and the protagonist experience throughout the novel. The protagonist reflects that Harris’s imagination is so powerful that not only does Harris believe everything is real, but “whatever that was in his mind” (41) seems to manifest itself as real. The protagonist is two years older but still has a strong imagination as well, and together the boys use their creativity to invent games, plots, experiments, and theories. Imagination becomes their tool of choice.

Using their imaginations, the boys land themselves in all sorts of real-world trouble. Harris is injured several times, and the protagonist being slightly older evades injury, but comes close. Harris also steals real weapons to use in their imaginary games, which have real-world consequences. Harris accidentally shoots an arrow at Buzzer and lands himself in a tussle, as well as shooting a live round by mistake, which thankfully hits no one. The protagonist often cautions Harris, but he always ends up allowing the plan to follow through. The brunt of the boys’ imagination is taken by the farm animals, day after day.

Childhood wonder and the carefree nature of childhood games would be nothing without imagination.