Themes and message

Death and loss of innocence

Death and loss of innocence are two of the major themes in the short story “The Stone Boy” by Gina Berriault.

The theme of death is explored in the story through Eugene, who dies because he is accidentally shot by his brother Arnold. For Arnold, Eugene represents an ideal, something he wants to achieve in life: “He wondered, as he sat enthralled, if when he got to be Eugie’s age he would still be undersized and his hair still straight” (p. 2, ll. 6-7). Consequently, Eugie's death leads to Arnold losing his role model and guidance.

The theme of death is also closely linked to the theme of loss of innocence, as the story also focuses on Arnold’s symbolic death. After he tells his parents about Eugie's death, Arnold still acts like a child when he retreats into the barn, avoiding to get in anyone’s way. But after the sheriff suggests that Arnold may be emotionless, the boy begins questioning himself:

The sheriff also states that Arnold is probably one of the “reasonable guys” (p. 6, l. 18), referring to men with personality disorders. However, Arnol...