"The Harness", written by Ernest Buckler is a short story written by a Canadian author. It is a story about a boy and his father. The young boy and his father don't have a regular father-son relationship. At the beginning of the story their relationship is more like they are pals and the father treats his son as an adult. After a series of events, a normal father-son relationship begins to form at the end of the story.
             This story can be discussed on two different levels. It can be discussed on the narrative level because Art is telling the story, and the psychological level because the father is trying to understand his son.
             There were two characters in the story. The father, Art, is a hard working man, who has trouble showing his emotion. He lost his wife at his son's birth, and was left to his son by himself since. He isn't a bad father, but has trouble acting like a good one. He loves his son and wants him to act responsibly. The son, David, is a fairly average kid, who likes to play with his ball and glove. His mother died at his birth so he has lacked having a maternal figure in his life. He is starved for attention because his father doesn't pay enough attention to him as a son. He desperately needs a fatherly figure in his life. He was sometimes defiant to his father, "...it wasn't that discipline had no effect because it made no impression."(Ernest Buckner. 1966. 139). He could also be very understanding.
             This story was set on a small farm in the country, which is perfect for change in a relationship. There are fields and a forest nearby.
             This story had a few examples of symbolism. The adult relationship was symbolized by the way they talked. David called is father "Art", not "Dad". The harness David wore when he was younger also symbolizes the relationship between Art and David. Art is just keeping David safe and isn't reall...