elopment is particularly effective in “Spotted Horses” because there are a great many characters for a short story, and through their characteristic role in the scheme of the narrator, certain characters become individuals more than others. This is because the reader views the story through the mind of someone who presumably is familiar with the situation and personages in the story, and the characters seem to be more realizable in certain memorable actions which define them in a subtle way. One example is Henry Armstid; a domineering selfish man who has no respect or regard it seems for his wife who he constantly tells to “’Git on back to that wagon like I told you.’” (352) He becomes more than a mere name. This is also true for Mrs. Littlejohn. She begins as a small observer of the events but becomes a major stabilizer as she takes a stand against a wild horse with a washboard, cares for the injured Mr. Armstid, comforts Mrs. Armstid, and then gives Mrs. Armstid advice on how to get her money back. The narrator of “Spotted Horses” brings an attitude of “regularness” to the story because he tends to look upon these characters as regular folks, yet finds the humor as well as the tragic within them. This is more than “Mule in the Yard” can accomplish with its more simplistic basis.Both “Spotted Horses” and “Mule in the Yard” are very entertaining stories by William Faulkner. Despite their common theme of animal chase, setting, and character, a more powerful story is found within “Spotted Horses”. While “Mule in the Yard” is well written and full of comedy, it does not delve as deeply as “Spotted Horses” does. “Spotted Horses” proves broader in scope due to it’s in depth narration style which provides particularly effective humor and development of characters. ...
