Perspectives

Literary period

The short story “The Death of Tommy Grimes” by R.J. Meaddough, III is a modernist work of fiction. In modernist fiction, authors tend to focus on the inner struggles of the characters more than on the plot. In “The Death of Tommy Grimes”, the focus is on Tommy’s inner struggles and on his transformation from an innocent child into a man. 

Modernist fiction also tends to focus on important social issues. In the story, the author focuses on racism, which is passed on from father to son, and on concepts such as role models, violence, and patriarchal societies. 

In addition, modernist fiction tends to stray from traditional plot structures, which is the case in “The Death of Tommy Grimes”. The entire story is willfully misleading, as the plot twist reveals that the prey which was hunted was, in fact, a black man. This leaves the reader feeling shocked and sickened and sparks reflection.

Works with the same theme

When analyzing the short story “The Death of Tommy Grimes”, you could consider comparing it with “The Stone Boy” by Gina Berriault. In “The Stone Boy”, Arnold, a nine-year-old boy, loses his innocence after accidentally killing his brother and being rejected by his parents. When comparing the two stories, you could look at how the father-son relationship is portrayed. 

Another short story you could analyze is “Like Charlie”, by John Boyne. The story presents the relationship between a father and Nick, his fragile son, whom the man constantly compares with Charlie, his more masculine brother. When you compare the two stories, consider how the father-son relationship is portrayed in each one. Furthermore, you could look at how the concept of masculinity is explored. 

The theme of loss of innocence is also portrayed in the short story “Just Like That” by Michael Richards. In the story, a boy and a man which may be his father go on a hunting trip which ends with the boy losing his innocence. When you analyze the two stories, consider the importance of the physical setting and the symbolical meaning of the hunting trip. You could also look at how the father-son relationship functions. Particularly the endings of the two stories differ.

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