"The Rockpile" is a 1965 short story by James Baldwin

James Baldwin (writer)

James Arthur Baldwin was an American novelist, essayist, playwright, poet, and social critic.Baldwin's essays, for instance "Notes of a Native Son" , explore palpable yet unspoken intricacies of racial, sexual, and class distinctions in Western societies, most notably in mid-20th century America,...

, taken from the short story collection, Going to Meet the Man

Going to Meet the Man

Going to Meet the Man, published in 1965, is a short-story collection by American writer James Baldwin. The book is dedicated "for Beauford Delaney." It covers many topics related to anti-Black racism in American society, as well as the creative process, jazz, drug addiction, family relationships,...

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Plot summary

Whilst Roy and John are forbidden to play on the Rockpile as the other boys from the neighborhood do, Roy decides to go anyway once, asking John not to tell anyone as he will be right back. There he gets into a fight and gets hurt, starts bleeding. He is brought back into the house and as the father gets home, he tries to blame the woman and John for letting Roy go there. He favors Roy because he is his real son and John (stepson) serves as the scapegoat.

A topic of the story is alienation, and feeling neglected.

Characters

• Elizabeth, the mother.
• Gabriel, the father. He is also a preacher.
• Roy, Elizabeth and Gabriel's son who gets hurt on the rockpile.
• John, Elizabeth's elder illegitimate son.
• Delilah, Elizabeth and Gabriel's daughter.
• Paul, Elizabeth and Gabriel's son.
• Sister McCandless

Mentioned

• Richard, a boy who drowned in the Bronx river
  Bronx River
  The Bronx River, approximately long, flows through southeast New York in the United States. It is named after colonial settler Jonas Bronck. The Bronx River is the only fresh water river in New York City....
  
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• Aunt Florence. She lives in the Bronx. She is Gabriel's sister.

Major topics

• reckless boys
• filial love
• favoritism
• dominance

• • • These are not themes of the story because they do not express a full idea. Stated above are topics.*****