Tragedy is something that any human has to face in life. During these moments of intense emotion, humans come together in unity, to cope with whatever distress they face. But what happens if one human is left out of the flock, to attend himself when tragedy hits? The text revolves around this theme of neglect, and how a person can become afraid and want to alienate oneself from the ones who should be close to them, if they aren’t cared for when tragedy occurs.
The setting of the story “The Stone Boy” by Gina Berriault is on a farm in the countryside, the place is isolated, which fits into the theme as a symbol for alienation. Arnold lives here with his parents, older brother Eugene and older sister Nora. One day Arnold accidentally shoots and kills Eugene when his rifle gets jammed in a fence wire. Instead of going back to his family straight away, he goes picking peas for an hour. After he has told his parents what happened, he isolates himself in a barn before he’s taken to the police by his dad and uncle. Because he doesn’t run straight back home after the accident, the Sheriff speculates him being a sociopath, which his uncle takes note of. He is overlooked by his family, and rejected when he tries to talk with his mother one the night. It all ends with him leaving the house to retrieve a newborn calf.
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