They Cage the Animals at Night

The autobiographical book focuses on a period of Burch’s life, from eight to 10 years old, when he passed in and out of the foster care system. The narrative is written in first person, and rather than analyze his experience as an adult looking back, Burch writes in the voice of a child, as he felt at the time. He does not provide information to the reader that he did not know as a child. Consequently, the reader learns about Jennings’ personality directly through his thoughts and actions. At the beginning of the story, Jennings is largely innocent and sheepish during his time at the homes. He avoids other children except the few that he befriends. As the narrative progresses and Jennings grows from his experiences in these homes, he builds confidence dramatically, becoming a seasoned veteran in the homes. He learns to defend himself so effectively that people even think he is a bully at his last children’s home.

However, he structurally cannot defend himself from the adults who run these homes, and this represents one of the central threats throughout the book. He is frequently subjected to physical and emotional abuse at the hands of the nuns and secular administrators who run these children’s homes.