The First Stone: Exploring Themes of Loss and Responsibility

This essay provides a literary analysis of Don Aker's novel, 'The First Stone,' focusing on the protagonist Reef Kennedy's internal conflicts and journey. It examines the themes of loss, responsibility, and the search for healing through friendship. The essay draws parallels between Reef's experiences and the character Hamza, highlighting the challenges of growing up and the importance of human connection. The analysis references key lines from the novel and connects them to broader literary concepts, such as the existential angst faced by the characters. The essay emphasizes the impact of the past and the potential for overcoming negative experiences through strong relationships. The essay also includes a bibliography with the sources used for the analysis.

Running head: THE FIRST STONE
The First Stone
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

1THE FIRST STONE
"Horns Below him on Birmingham brought him back to the overpass, and he looked
down at the traffic through tear-filled eyes. He gripped the rock, seeking its strength, and
chose a target."
The above quoted lines from the book, “The First Stone” by Don Aker helps the
readers to understand the theme of the novel. The protagonist of the novel, Reef Kennedy, is
torn between two worlds of the past and the present just like the way Matthew Arnold
describes the present civilization to be torn between the two worlds in the lines, “Wandering
between two worlds/ One dead and the other powerless to be born in” (Stange). Therefore,
the protagonist of the novel, Reef also feels torn between the blissful life of the past under the
care as well as the nurture of his grandmother and the present world of ugly realties where he
is made to confront the harsh realities of the adult world("The First Stone”). The above
quoted lines from the novel clearly indicate the longing, which Reef feels for his dead
grandmother as well as his to inflict pain on others as way to relieve his own pain as well as
suffering. His thought process becomes clear when a line from another novel by the same
author is taken into consideration, “The Space Between”, “You know the hurt is coming, but
there's this reprieve just long enough to get your hopes up, to make you think that maybe, just
maybe, this time you dodged it. But then it comes anyway” is taken into consideration.
Therefore, it can be safely said that the above quoted lines clearly indicate that the internal
conflict of the character, the desire for being loved and the quintessential desire to relieve all
forms of human pain as well as suffering.
The idea in the above provided quoted is related to a particular incident in the life of
Hamza, wherein he was made to face a similar situation. The above quoted lines depict the
existential angst faced by the protagonist of the novel. The character, Hamza also went
through a similar situation,which was related to his own personal life. It is to be noted that
Hamza is in many ways just like the protagonist of the novel “The First Stone”, who is

2THE FIRST STONE
disobedient towards his father and runs away from his responsibilities just like Reef. Hamza
avoids going to school and spends most of his time with his friends. Hamza does not
understand his responsibilities and is wasting away his life. Hamza’s family is obviously
worried about the future of their child, just like the grandmother of Reef was, for the well-
being of Reef and wishes to make things right. They hope that just like Reef, someday Hamza
will become responsible and start making decisions like an adult. They just hope that Hamza
does not have to go through the same ordeal as Reef had to,in order to become responsible
and start understanding his responsibilities.
It is interesting to note that many people consider that the negative effects of the past
can be removed or overcome for that matter by building up strong bonds of friendships as
well as other relations, which revolves around the fulcrum of love. Therefore, it is apt to say
that just like the central character in the novel, “The First Stone”, who finds the healing
process of his life in his friendship with Leeza, so Hamza should also try to innovate some
form of healing process through friendship and in his relationship with his family.

3THE FIRST STONE
Bibliography
"The First Stone." Browseinside.Harpercollins.Ca, 2018,
http://browseinside.harpercollins.ca/index.aspx?isbn13=9780006392866.
Stange, George Robert. Matthew Arnold: the poet as humanist. Princeton University Press,
2015.