The Stone Boy | Mandate Media Club #4

​At last, we meet again!

​For the next Mandate Media Club, we will read the story The Stone Boy. Although written in 1957 by Gina Berriault, the story conveys themes about boyhood and emotion that feel remarkably modern today. I won't give too much away, but it focuses on a young boy who accidentally causes a traumatic event. How he's treated afterward says everything about what forces will shape the man he will eventually become.

​I love for us to read the original story (download link here), which only takes about 20-30 minutes. Here are some example questions we will discuss.

• ​What did this story make you think regarding your own childhood?

• ​How is Arnold representative of boys at-large?

• ​What would you have done if you were Arnold's father?

• ​What do we think happens next?

​For the over-achievers — I originally came across the work through Story Club, George Saunders' fantastic newsletter about the craft of short-form writing. Saunders actually wrote a four-post series that breaks down The Stone Boy in remarkable detail (1, 2, 3, 4). These posts are absolutely not necessary for our meeting, but I will say they are a fascinating read.

​See you May 3rd!