This Bildungsroman

The story of Harry ‘Houdini’ Hodby living in a quiet rural town and his development into a young man is the focus of the novel ‘By the River’. This ‘bildungsroman’ describes his coming of age, which has been quite rough, into his adult life. The death of his mother and the loss of one of his dear friends have a major effect on him. It’s these events that force young Harry into adulthood and makes him realise the importance of strong and meaningful relationships.
It is very clear early on that Harry has to take on adult responsibilities due to his mother’s passing. When his mother died he “was seven and Keith was six”, Harry had to take on many responsibilities that he previously had not have to worry about. Harry “could cook at the age of seven”. it is simple life lessons like this that have groomed Harry to become a young man. As Harry developed through his young years he had to accept many more duties than other children his age. Bit by bit he would pick up the duties his “mother left”, each making him a more reliable and mature young man. It was also through the support of others that he was able to cope with her death and “take on the duties she left us”.

It’s these events that cause him to transform in to a more mature and developed person. At just a young age he is has had to deal with not one but two tragic deaths. Linda was very dear to Harry and the loss of her to the flood that “swept refrigerators, bikes, used tires and Linda Mahoney downstream” really was devastating to him. Not only losing his mother early on but then to cope with the loss of one of his best friends was really detrimental to him. He’d weed the “white cross and patch of daisies” so that “the town had something worth remembering”. It is very clear throughout the book that this event changed Harry and his way of