“The Stone Boy” by Gina Berriault follows the story of a young boy who faces the consequences of a terrible accident and tries to understand his responsibilities in the matter. When Arnold does not respond emotionally, adults' false assumptions isolate Arnold. In “The Stone Boy,” Berriault uses motifs of light to represent knowledge and truth and darkness to represent ignorance; together, they work to advance Arnold's transformation from child to man. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The light references in “The Stone Boy” work to highlight Arnold’s awareness of his responsibility for a terrible thing. Arnold undergoes a drastic transformation in self-perception and identity based on how he feels and how others see him. Arnold feels like a burden because of what happened, but he doesn't know how to express himself. After the accident, a dazed Arnold continues to go picking peas, following his routine, because it is the only normal thing he recognizes. It is only when he feels "a warmth on his back, like a great hand placed firmly there" that he raises his head, indicating that the sun is a source of insight, making Arnold aware of his brother's absence (386). As Arnold returns to the farm, he notices that "as his head [has been] bowed, the earth [has] become bright around him", which suggests how the world around Arnold reflects his own actions, continuing the responsibility of bringing warmth to the world, even as Arnold continues to pick peas for his family (386). After Arnold tells his family what happened to Eugie, he flees to the barn. Arnold can “feel the morning growing heavier with the sun,” the sun here representing the “growing” awareness of those around him (387). As the atmosphere around him becomes “heavier” with the knowledge of Eugie's death, Arnold slowly becomes aware of what his family will think of him. He “still lay like a fugitive,” afraid that his family would ostracize him, exiling him to live in the stable (387). When his father calls him, Arnold “goes down the ladder and [comes] out into the sun,” signifying his illumination of knowledge into the air of those around him (388). The awareness of those around him leads Arnold to confront false assumptions, thus turning his loved ones against him, leaving Arnold to face the burden alone. The juxtaposition of light and dark images in the court scene is important to signify truth and ignorance. The courthouse is described as “a two-story brick building with a lamp on each side of the bottom step” (388). The lamps placed outside the court signify the truth. However, as they enter the building, they "[enter] the dark paneled corridor," suggesting that the truth Arnold knows is being left out and, instead, he is entering the ignorance of the adult world, represented by the dark corridor (388 ). While waiting to see the sheriff, Arnold recalls the conversation he had with his father and Uncle Andy before leaving the house: [H]ad explained to them how the gun had gotten caught on the wire. But when they asked him why he didn't run home to tell his parents, he had no answer: he could only say that he had gone down to the garden to pick peas. His father had stared at him with a pale, puzzled look, and it was then that he felt his father and the others impose their cold, turbulent silence on him. (388) Even though Arnold knows the truth about what happened, he doesn't understand what he did wrong. In front of the court, Arnold is aware of theresponsibility attributed to him after the accident; however, upon entering the "dark-panelled corridor" he loses that truth and replaces it with the ignorance of those around him, forcing Arnold to question himself (388). The darkness symbolizes this confusion and ignorance as Arnold feels “the compunction imposed by his father's eyes,” which takes place in the “dark-panelled corridor,” causing Arnold to feel reproachful (388). His father's silence is part of the dark imagery because the darkness of night is associated with silence. Arnold's father is the authority figure in his life and should know how to handle situations like these, but his father's silence clouds Arnold's thoughts and makes him confused and ashamed. Because of this silence, Arnold becomes aware not only of his father's perplexed silence, but also of how "others oppose him with their cold and turbulent silence", representing his awareness of how adults feel about him, thus distancing further Arnold from the others (388 ). The darkness combined with the cold silence that Arnold faces in the courtroom symbolizes the adults' ignorance and their false assumptions about Arnold. The dark images continue to highlight Arnold's confusion and the adults' ignorance as evening covers the land. As the family continues their duties on the farm, Arnold makes sure to distance himself from them. Their mundane routine confused Arnold because when he acted normally and picked up the peas, they were confused by his action. When it becomes too dark for his father to continue working outside, Arnold watches him enter; however, Arnold does not follow because "[he] is afraid that they [won't] want him to have dinner with them" (391). The darkness brings Arnold feelings of apprehension as he wonders whether or not his family still recognizes him. This is further emphasized during the dinner because it is described as a “small, quiet dinner,” implying Eugie's absence and the unforgiving nature of Arnold's parents (391). Up until this point, Arnold has faced unsympathetic silence from his parents, leaving him to deal with the weight of Eugie's death alone and with no one to express his feelings to. To make matters worse for Arnold, his family and neighbors “[began] arriving, banging loudly on the back door. The men [are] returning from their farms now that [it is] getting dark and [they can] no longer work” (391). The darkness hits adults hard, indicating the power of their ignorant assumptions; the sun has now set, implying that the truth is absent from their thoughts. Uncle Andy makes the situation worse by turning the speaker's attention to Arnold when he says, “Not a tear in his eye…He's a reasonable guy. That's what the sheriff said” (392). Uncle Andy, accepting the sheriff's explanation, solidifies Arnold's isolation from his family due to adult ignorance. In the darkness, not only does Arnold's family betray him, but also his community, refusing to forgive his reaction to Eugie's death, blinded by their unconscious assumptions. The pairing of both light and dark imagery allows for the depiction of the vulnerability that Arnold feels carried with him. from the awareness of the terrible burden and ignorance of his family. With their harsh assumptions, Arnold is indifferent simply because he reacts differently than people expect. As Arnold's family says goodnight to the visitors, Arnold steps aside: [he picks up] one of the kerosene lamps and quickly slides up the stairs. In his room he undresses by the light of the lamp, even though he and Eugie have always undressed in the dark and only when he is lying on the bed does he turn off the flame.He [feels] nothing, no pain. There's just the same immense silence and crawling inside him; it [is] the way the house and the fields [feel] under an unforgiving sun. (393) Arnold flees from the adults' ignorance, taking with him the lamp to ward off the cutting accusations. The lamp here represents Arnold's awareness of adults' ignorance, and dressing in the light of the lamp signifies his recognition of adults' assumptions, judging himself because he is no longer able to decipher between truth and falsehood. The isolation from his family takes a toll on Arnold; he is uncertain what to think and is overwhelmed by feelings of guilt. The weight of his responsibility and the mass of shame on his shoulders constitute a heavy accessory, which weighs down Arnold throughout the story. Uncle Andy's mean remarks are cemented in Arnold's mind, validating the idea that he is a cold, cruel boy who doesn't care about his brother. The repetition of the image of silence in the darkness continues to represent the confusion Arnold feels, the same as when he feels his father's gaze in court. Being unable to express himself, Arnold relates his feeling as if he were under a "merciless sun", suggesting that the truth Arnold once held in his heart has turned against him. Later in the night, Arnold suddenly wakes up and, at that moment, "[k]ews that his father [is] out in the yard, closing the doors of the chicken coops so that the chickens can't get out too early and fall prey to the coyotes that [come] down from the mountains at dawn,” suggesting how Arnold and Eugie went out at dawn and Eugie fell prey to Arnold’s gun, just as chickens fall prey to coyotes (393). Arnold waking up with a start in the darkness represents Arnold's vulnerability to ignorance and his realization that he cannot deal with the situation alone, noticing his brother's absence. Because of the vulnerability that consumes Arnold in the middle of the night, he feels the need to express himself to someone he cares about. But when Arnold goes to tell his mother his true feelings, his mother yells at him to “[go] back! Is it night when you're afraid?" (393). Ironically, she rejects Arnold, denying her role as a comforting, maternal figure. The first time Arnold willingly exposes his inner feelings, he is rejected by the one who he thinks could care more. Asking Arnold if "it is night when [he] is afraid" has an impact because it contains a certain truth; Arnold is uncomfortable with the ignorance outlined by the darkness, which consequently makes him feel vulnerable and seeking comfort (393 ) After this refusal, Arnold notes that “[outside] everything [is] still. The fences, the piles of grain seen through the window in front of him [are] so still that [it] is as if they [move] and [breathe] during the day and [are] still. were] silenced with the late hour” (393 ). Arnold realizes that, as the crops have “been silent” in the darkness, he too has become silent and impassive due to his mother's rejection suffers from boy to man. The silence that Arnold notices also surrounds his father, “a figure moving alone in the courtyard, his lantern casting a circle of light at his feet” (394). Even though his mother rejects him, Arnold appears to be given another chance at enlightenment. His father's lantern symbolizes understanding, which Arnold seeks to prevent him from succumbing to the false assumptions of adults. However, at that moment, Arnold realizes his nakedness, which “has become unforgivable” after his mother's rejection, and “runs away from his father's lantern” (394). The fact that Arnold is naked in the darkness is also crucial to his transformation because his nakedness leaves him exposed.