The Rockpile
(James Baldwin)
The short story takes place in Harlem, USA in a run ?down area with a busy street life. Urban, low working class environment. Time is probably around 1950?s.
On a Saturday afternoon, waiting for the head of the family to come home (from work) two brothers sit and contemplate their urban surroundings. Their mother is busy with a guest and the two boys sit outside on a fire escape, one (John) quietly drawing, the other (Roy) fidgety and in the mood for playing. They are all awaiting the father (though not John?s biological father) who is a strict, disciplinarian reverend. The younger Roy sneaks off to play on the rock pile next to their building, well knowing it will get the older brother in trouble. He ends up in a fight and is hurt and taken care of. The father comes home and obviously puts the blame for this misdemeanor in the hands of John, being the stupid one and not his own son. He comforts his own son Roy. In a rare moment, the boys? mother strengthens herself and speaks up for John, and protesting against the reverend?s unfair treatment his step-son and spoiling of his own children. Her protesting stops an imminent physical disciplining of John and we leave the story suspecting this lifestyle will continue in spite of the mother?s rare intervention.
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