Gina Berriault’s “The Rock Boy” follows the story of your young son facing the aftermath of your terrible accident and trying to understand his responsibility in the subject. When Arnold does not respond emotionally, the adults’ fake assumptions isolate Arnold. In “The Natural stone Boy”, Berriault uses the motifs of light to represent knowledge and real truth and darkness to represent lack of knowledge, together, they work to progress Arnold’s alteration of child to man.
The light recommendations in “The Stone Boy” work to highlight Arnold’s awareness of his responsibility for a horrible thing. Arnold undergoes a drastic transformation in self-perception and identity based on how he seems, as well as how others view him. Arnold feels an encumbrance for what occurred, but he could be unsure the right way to express himself. After the crash, a astonished muddled; perplexed; bewildered; blank; confused Arnold continually go and pick peas, following his routine, since it is the only regular thing this individual acknowledges. It isn’t until he feels “a warmth on his back, such as a large palm laid firmly there” that he increases his brain, indicating sunlight is a source of insight, producing Arnold conscious of his brother’s absence (386). As Arnold makes his way back to the farmhouse, he notices that “while his head [has] been bent the area [has] cultivated bright around him, inches which suggests how the world around Arnold is reflecting his own actions, continuing the responsibility of delivering warmth towards the world, as Arnold continue to be pick the peas for his family (386). After Arnold tells his family what happened to Eugie, he flees to the barn. Arnold can easily “feel the morning growing heavy with sunshine, ” direct sunlight here addressing the “growing” awareness of those around him (387). Since the atmosphere around him becomes “heavier” with awareness of Eugie’s death, Arnold slowly becomes alert to what his family will certainly think of him. He “lay[s] still as being a fugitive, ” scared that his family will ostracize him, exiling him to reside the barn (387). When ever his daddy calls out to him, Arnold “climb[s] over the ladder and [goes] out into the sunlight, ” signifying his brightness of the understanding in the air of the people around him (388). The awareness of these around him lead Arnold to face the false assumptions, thus turning his family members against him, leaving Arnold to deal with the burden on his own.
The rapport of light and dark images in the courthouse scene is important in signifying truth and ignorance. The courthouse is usually described as “a two-story packet building using a lamp to each side with the bottom step” (388). The lamps placed outside the courthouse signify fact. However , as they walk into house, they inch[enter] the menacingly paneled hallway, ” suggesting that the fact Arnold knows is being left outside and in turn, he is getting into the ignorance of the adult world, showed by the dark hallway (388). While holding out to see the sheriff, Arnold whizzes back to the conversation he previously with his dad and Dad Andy just before leaving your house: [H]e acquired explained to all of them how the weapon had caught on the line. But when that were there asked him why this individual hadn’t operate back to the home to tell his parents, he had had not any answer”all he could claim was that he previously gone down into the garden to pick the peas. His father had stared at him in a light, puzzled way, and it was then that he had felt his father and the other folks set their particular cold, violent silence against him. (388) Even though Arnold knows the fact of what happened, he will not understand what he did wrong. Before the courthouse, Arnold knows the responsibility positioned on him following your accident, nevertheless , entering the “darkly paneled hallway” storage sheds that fact and eliminates it while using ignorance of those around him, forcing Arnold to problem himself (388). The dark symbolizes this confusion and ignorance the moment Arnold feels “compunction made by his father’s eyes, ” which takes place inside the “darkly paneled hallway, inches causing Arnold to think self-reproach (388). His dad’s silence can be described as part of the dark imagery because darkness through the night is associated with silence. Arnold’s father is a authority figure in his your life and is meant to know how to deal with situations such as, but his father’s peace and quiet clouds Arnold’s thoughts besides making him baffled and ashamed. Because of this stop, Arnold turns into aware of not simply his father’s puzzled stop, but also how “the others collection their cool turbulent silence against him, ” representing his knowingness of how the adults feel about him, thus further distancing Arnold from others (388). The darkness coupled with the cold quiet Arnold faces in the courthouse symbolizes the adults’ lack of knowledge and their fake assumptions regarding Arnold.
The dark imagery continue to be highlight Arnold’s confusion plus the adults’ ignorance when evening blankets the land. While the family continues their jobs on the plantation, Arnold makes sure to distance himself from their website. Their boring routine piteuxs Arnold since when he served normal and picked the peas, these people were confused simply by his action. When it turns into too dark pertaining to his dad to continue working outside, Arnold watches him stomp inside, however , Arnold does not stick to because “he [is] frightened that they [do] not want him to eat supper with them” (391). The dark brings to Arnold emotions of tension because he inquiries whether or not his family still acknowledges him. This is further emphasized for dinner because it is described as a “small, noiseless supper, ” implying Eugie’s absence as well as the unpitying character of Arnold’s parents (391). Up to this point, Arnold have been faced with unsympathetic silence simply by his father and mother, leaving him to deal with the burden of Eugie’s death on his own and no one to express his feelings to. To make issues worse to get Arnold, his family members and neighbors “[begin] to arrive, bumping hard on the spine door. The boys [are] originating from their farms now that that [is] growing dark plus they [can] certainly not work any more” (391). The darkness brings the adults which has a hard topple, indicating the power of their unaware assumptions, the sun has now set, implying the reality is absent using their thoughts. Dad Andy worsens the situation simply by turning the parlor’s focus on Arnold when he says, “Not a tear in his eye¦He’s an acceptable fellow. Which what the sheriff said” (392). Uncle Andy accepting the sheriff’s description solidifies Arnold’s isolation via his relatives due to the ignorance of the adults. In the dark, not only does Arnold’s relatives fail him, but likewise his community, by refusing to reduce his response towards Eugie’s death, blinded by their unwitting assumptions.
Coupling both light and dark images allows for the representation of vulnerability that Arnold seems brought after by his awareness of the terrible burden and lack of knowledge of his family. Using their harsh assumptions, Arnold can be coldshouldered due to the fact he responds differently than what people expect. While Arnold’s is saying goodnight to the visitors, Arnold makes himself hard to find: [H]e pick[s] up one of many kerosene lighting fixtures and slip[s] quickly in the stairs. In the room he undress[es] simply by lamplight, though he and Eugie experienced always undressed in the dark rather than until this individual [is] resting on his bed [does] this individual blow out the flame. This individual [feels] practically nothing, not any grief. There [is] only the same immense quiet and moving inside of him, it [is] the way the residence and fields [feel] within merciless sunlight. (393) Arnold flees from the ignorance from the adults, having the lamp with him to send away the slicing accusations. The lamp below represents Arnold’s awareness of the adults’ ignorance, and dress up by the lamplight signifies his acknowledgement in the adults’ presumptions, judging him self because he is unable to decipher among truths and falsities any longer. Being remote from his family takes a toll about Arnold, he can uncertain what to think and is also overwhelmed with all the feelings of guilt. The burden of his responsibility plus the mass with the shame in the shoulders creates a heavy item, weighing Arnold down through the story. Granddad Andy’s bad remarks concrete themselves in Arnold’s mind, validating the concept he is a cold, cruel boy who cares absolutely nothing for his brother. The repetition in the imagery of silence in the dark continues to symbolize the confusion Arnold feels, the same as when he feels his father’s stare in the court hosue. Not being able to express himself, Arnold relates his feeling to like staying under a “merciless sun, inch suggesting the fact that truth Arnold once held in his cardiovascular system has switched against him. Later in the night, Arnold awakens instantly, and at that moment, “he [knows] that his father [is] out in the garden, closing the doors of the poultry houses so that the chickens wasn’t able to roam out too early and fall prey to the coyotes that [come] down from the mountains by daybreak, ” implying how Arnold and Eugie went down at daybreak and Eugie falling prey to Arnold’s gun, as the birds fall food to the coyotes (393). Arnold being jolted awake inside the darkness represents Arnold’s weakness towards the lack of knowledge and his recognition that he cannot handle this on his own, noting the absence of his brother.
Because of the weeknesses that uses Arnold during nighttime, he seems the need to exhibit himself to someone this individual cares about. But when Arnold goes to tell his mother regarding his true feelings, his mother yells at him to “[g]um back! Is night when you get worried? ” (393). Ironically, the girl refuses Arnold, denying her role because the comforting, motherly physique. The first time Arnold willingly unearths his interior feelings, he could be rejected by the one who he thinks might care the most. Her asking Arnold if it “is night when [he] get[s] afraid” is considerable because it retains certain real truth, Arnold is uneasy in the ignorance delineated by night, which therefore makes him feel weak, seeking out comfort (393). After that rejection, Arnold notices that “[o]utside everything [is] continue to. The fences, the shock of wheat seen through the window just before him [are] so continue to it [is] as if they will [move] and [breath] inside the daytime and [have] gone down silent while using lateness in the hour” (393). Arnold knows that, as the plants have “fallen silent” at nighttime, he too has become silent and impassive because of his mother’s denial. This picture is crucial in the transformation Arnold goes through from son to guy. The stop Arnold realises also encompases his dad, “a number moving only around the yard, his lantern casting a circle of sunshine by his feet” (394). Even though his mother rejects him, it appears Arnold is given another possibility at enlightenment. His father’s lantern symbolizes understanding, searching for Arnold to halt him coming from succumbing towards the adults’ bogus assumptions. Yet , in that minute, Arnold knows his nakedness, which “ha[s] become unpardonable” after his mother’s denial, and this individual “flee[s] from his father’s lantern” (394). Arnold being naked in the dark is crucial to his modification as well because his nakedness leaves him exposed to the ignorance in the adults. Following his mom’s rejection, Arnold’s walls tenderize, letting every one of the harsh claims about him seep into his mind, producing him believe he is the “monster” everyone feels became after the accident. His father’s light is Arnold’s last probability at washing away the darkness in the mind, but because he is usually exposed and vulnerable, Arnold flees prior to his father’s light extends to him. At that time, it is inside its final stages because the sheriff and Uncle Andy’s words have pierced his center, rendering him emotionless inside.
At the outset of the story, Arnold’s awareness of his responsibility can be represented by the light images, and while the light of start in the final scene continue to represents his responsibility, it includes shifted coming from being the work of a kid to one of any man. During breakfast, Arnold “[keeps] his eyelids reduced as if to deny the humiliating night” (394). Arnold is aware that his father and mother have failed him, yet he makes no effort to gain their very own sympathy again. Although the mild imagery signifies truth too, it is not able to penetrate Arnold’s mind because it is clouded while using dark lack of knowledge gained the night before. He understands what his responsibility is when his father tries to reach out to Arnold saying, “Bessie’s missin’ this morning¦Somebody’s got to rise and find her ‘fore the coyotes get the calf” (394). Arnold’s father is able to accept the light of the truth when he tries to understand Arnold, nevertheless his mother’s reaction is definitely the catalyst towards Arnold’s self-banishment and his father is too late to save his son coming from taking on the responsibility of a guy too early. Arnold recognizes that fetching the calf “had been Eugie’s job, ” and he knows “if he [goes] for the calf he [will] end up being away from the plantation all morning” (394-95). Arnold’s decision to exile him self emphasizes the effect the adults’ ignorant presumptions have about Arnold. Arnold’s loss of chasteness is pointed out in the dawn of light when his mom calls out to Arnold, and “knowing that she [is] seeking him out, while his father [is] doing¦he call[s] upon his pleasure to protect him from them” (395). However, what is strange of the situation is tragic because just as Arnold’s mom rejects him the night before when ever Arnold is at his many vulnerable, Arnold reciprocates the cold refusal, ultimately tagging his loss of innocence. When his mother asks what he needed last night, where Arnold responds, “I did not want nothing, ” this further highlights that Arnold is nothing can beat he faithful boy, yet instead turns into the “monster” everyone makes him out to be (395). When his family finally wants him to express his feelings, he fails to speak his emotions because he won’t know how. This kind of story shows the immeasurable effect that other people’s viewpoints have within the self-perception of oneself, illustrated by Arnold’s transformation from an blameless child, into a stone-like man.
