Five Dollars by Jean Little

In Jean Little’s short story, Five Dollars, the narrator is struggling to deal with a decision made awhile back.  The narrator has taken a five dollar bill from his mother’s purse, and months later is still trying to decide if he should return it or confess and share the truth.  What is remarkable about this short piece of text is that we see the narrator’s inner struggle and inner journey through the development of each paragraph.  Although this story is only five paragraphs long, I think the author is able to convey the theme of guilt by taking the reader through those inner thoughts and feelings.  

In the first paragraph, the narrator shares that this event happened “a long time ago.” The purpose of paragraph one is to get the reader thinking that the character does not even really remember “why” the $5 was taken.  In the second paragraph, the narrator is sharing the honest attempt at trying to return the money.  By the third paragraph, the narrator is beginning to express signs of guilt.  I think the character feels bad, because the text says that he was thinking about that $5 “in bed at night” and even in “school.” Those feelings of guilt were distracting.  The fourth paragraph is written to show how the narrator is conflicted.  Returning the money “when she won’t notice,” but wanting to spend the $5 sounds enticing too.  Finally, by the end of the story, the narrator is convinced that confessing to Mother is the right thing to do, and he wishes it was over.  Doing the right thing is not always easy, and I’m glad the narrator realizes that the truth will eventually help him to let go of the guilt from “a long time ago.”  Because all of the paragraphs help us to understand the inner journey the character faces from taking that $5, I think the overall theme of the story is to face your guilt.