Lawn Boy

Capitalism is a motif that drives the plot, plays off the boy’s dry humor, and expounds the story’s themes. As a plot device, capitalism allows the boy to expand his business, earn a profit in stock, and yield spectacular results. The boy’s stock market investments create comedic irony by steering the plot in outrageous directions. Nobody expects a young, naïve boy, who doesn’t even make his own investment decisions, to make $480,000 in the stock market. The more preposterous the boy’s situation becomes, the more amusing the outcome.

Capitalism also provides a framework around which the boy learns responsibility and expands his influence.

To specifically emphasize the capitalism motif, Paulsen uses lengthy and jargon-filled chapter titles that middle grade readers would not understand immediately. This tactic places the audience more firmly in the boy’s shoes: The author uses big words to present concepts that will be simplified, as Arnold does for the boy. The chapter plots themselves are easy to absorb, and upon reviewing the chapter titles in hindsight, readers can guess the meanings of particular words or phrases. For example, Chapter 5 is titled “Labor Acquisition and Its Effect on Capital Growth” (26).