Soul-Catcher, written by Louis Owens, is a short story about a young boy who is facing a crisis not only externally, but also internally. It is a recommended tale to read because it contains elements of conflict, suspense, and theme. The story is eventful because it contains two type of conflict, one that is dealt with physically, while the other conflict is handled mentally. The external conflict is between the young boy and the black panther, in which the young boy wishes to shoot the panther in order to protect his family. However, prior to this decision, the young boy faces a conflict with himself because if he connected with his indigenous background, he cannot shoot the panther as it is viewed as a spiritual animal. On the other hand, …show more content…
The story begins with an ominous atmosphere: “Out of the dark to the old man’s right came a scream that cut through the swamp like jagged tin…” (135). After meeting the panther, the young boy shows a firm urge to shoot it; however, the old man discourages him to do so. But it is evident that the young boy does not want to back down. This creates suspense as the readers are eager to know what the young boy plans to do. Even the conclusion of the story ends with a cliffhanger: “Beyond the doorway nalusachito [the panther] crouched, ready to spring” (143). Besides action and suspense to keep the readers intrigued, the story contains a moral lesson. One obvious theme that can be found in the story is to listen to the advice elders give. Even though they are older, they are also wiser and have more experience. Some of the advice given may not seem to be very helpful or relevant, it is never a bad idea to think about and consider it when making decisions as most advice contain some truth and can be applied to various situations. In the story, the young boy did not listen to his uncle’s advice, and as a result, he faces the consequences of meeting the