Berry provides four sharply drawn characters in "Fanso and Granny-Flo": Fanso, Granny-Flo, Bougsie, and Miss Sita. The protagonist is Fanso, who at thirteen is beginning to have adult thoughts about himself and his way of life. Berry uses action and symbolism to flesh out Fanso's personality. His actions show him to be impulsive, as when he tries to run away, thoughtful, as when he asks about his father, and obedient, as when he returns home with his mother in spite of wishing to run away to Kingston. One also learns from Fanso's actions that he is trapped: Every move he makes is limited by his poverty. He cannot, for instance, actually take the bus to Kingston; instead, he is likely to be put off the bus miles from home because he cannot pay the bus fare. The symbolism begins at the start of the...