Themes in The Stone Boy Essay

The Stone Boy

Isolated by his family, betrayed by the community, and silenced by an accident, Arnold Curwing a child, shot his brother by mistake and his actions touched everyone. In the short story "The Stone Boy" Gina Berriault, walks us through a twenty four hour period of Arnold's toughest time, not the death of his brother, but the neglection by his family and community. What started as a good day for Arnold ended with his world shattered, with him having to grow up.

Abandonment is one of the important themes surrounding Arnold in this story. It is first shown through the major scene in the story, the death of Eugie. Arnold abandons his brother after his death by just standing up, leaving the body and picking peas, he does not call for help. This theme is also illustrated through the boys relatives. His uncle, Andy, portrays a negative obstacle set in front of him. Uncle Andy made Arnold feel abandoned and hurt when he stated Not a tear in his eye, this statement proves to show that his uncle did not care for him at the time and did not help comfort him. The community within this story also intertwines with this theme. It is shown when a member of the area, Sullivan, expresses his feeling through the following He dont give a hoot, is that how it goes? Each word that comes from his mouth pierces Arnolds heart and has him left in the dust. Finally the abandonment of his mother was what hurt him the most. People argue that the perspective that your family has on you, is what matters to a person the most. When Arnold comes up to the door to talk to his mother and she blows him off telling that it is night and should be afraid. This neglecting from his mother may have wounded Arnold the most. Different forms of silence brought forth an eerie atmosphere to the short story. Arnold falls silent due to the death of his brother and his surroundings follow this act. After he tells his family about the death, he leaves them silent and follows up to the loft. The story describes him as lying still like a fugitive and if his parents never called him, he felt like he could sit in the loft forever. The description makes the eyes see Arnold as a transparent, ghostly like figure. The subjective form of silence is found at the question answer session between Arnold and the Sheriff. When the Sheriff looks for explanations in Arnold asking, Were you and your brother good friends? Arnold fell silent and remembered that they were more of acquaintances. In addition, he was still with his family for the rest of the day, people would come by and he would just sit there and not speak. In the last scene of the story it explains Arnold pretending to be deaf and nonexistent to his family. Not only was Arnold quite towards his family, but his family was unspoken as well. During dinner his mother curled her hands over her eyes so she could not see him, she shunned his existence at them time where he needed family the most. Furthermore his sister Nora does not acknowledge him at the dinner table by not passing him the pitcher nor speaking to him. Silence plays a vital part in the story because it sets the mood and tone of this twenty four hour period in Arnolds life.

The themes found in this short story are innumerable. This young boy Arnold loses his youth a short second in this account. Though it was an accident, the death of his brother was related to the death of Arnolds youth. His familys disregard towards him without doubt, hurt Arnold and left him silent. This day in Arnolds life will not be forgotten, as the young boy had his innocence stolen by a mistake that cannot be fixed.