Three Early Stories

I noticed themes and styles in these stories that seem to foreshadow his later work. Did others see signs of his signature tone here, or was he still experimenting?

The characters often seem caught between childhood and adulthood, which brought up feelings of longing. How did these stories evoke your own memories or feelings about growing up?

They seem carefully selected to showcase certain themes and styles—was this a conscious effort on his part or just how his early writing happened to come together?