Palmer LaRue

Palmer LaRue, also known as Snots, is the main character of the story. Palmer is an only child whose intelligence and sensitivity alienate him from other children his age. Palmer finds a friend in Dorothy Gruzik, who lives across the street, but by the time Palmer is nine-years-old he wants to distance himself from the younger girl and aligns with the local hoodlums, Beans, Mutto, and Henry. Palmer's core values of loyalty and sensitivity are in conflict with his new friends, but he encourages the friendships because he wants to belong to a group. Palmer is constantly preoccupied with the horror of the Pigeon Shoot because he cannot tolerate cruelty. Yet he knows he should anticipate the event as the other boys do. Palmer eventually distances himself from his hoodlum friends and invites Dorothy back into his life when the boys threaten his pigeon, Nipper. Dorothy understands...