Stoner – A life unlived

Stoner was written to portray a society which is shaped by emotional absence. 

John Williams created the environment around his protagonist to mirror what life is like for an outsider who is silently disappointed by his own existence.

This essay will outline the meaning behind how Stoner’s family contributed to his defeat and similarly, how he was conditioned to strive for nothing but his lack of ambition. 

Stoner follows a man named William Stoner who was unremembered at death. Anyone would say he had no meaning, marrying not for love but convenience, having a child to please his unforgiving wife and ultimately dying at the end of his life.

I say this because most have something to be remembered by friends or achievements and such, yet Stoner had nothing. In his final years, he was conditioned to believe that he was nothing. 

Edith, his wife, is presented as a detached soul to represent his failures at building the future he had initially longed for. She is unapologetically shallow with a tendency to run from what she can’t solve.  

In chapter eight, Edith outwardly is “unmoved” by the ceremony of her father’s funeral and equally “hard-faced,” in direct contrast at her persona within society. She is alienated from Stoner, evoking sympathy for his character who isn’t brave enough to put his foot down and therefore, seen him lead a modest existence of compromise. To Edith, it’s okay to be “expressionless” and “erect,” if that is what fulfils her.  

Edith serves as a foil for Stoner’s misery while Grace, stoner’s daughter, provides an insight into how humans are ultimately products of their upbringing. This alludes to the overall message of Williams, as he demonstrates the significance of one life, and its impact on others. 

Williams shows us that our perception of the world and humanity is tainted. We need to understand another human in depth to comprehend how human experience changes depending on who we surround ourselves with, or who we choose not to. This lens, that humans are brought up with, displays that we were born to judge, just as Edith was born to act without thought or feeling. 

Grace plays an important part in representing the product of living under rigid regulations. Originally, she starts to develop what we could identify as a personality, yet Edith carefully constructs a robotic daughter who adheres to the strict rules in place to guard her from living.  

Her construct represents the parts of Stoner which have become unchangeable, such as his unwillingness to want more from his life. Despite what little character Grace has, she is told that she has had “too much freedom,” and currently “alone” and “withdrawn.”

Although this contradicts Edith’s constant separation of Grace from her father, I believe this astounding comment about her daughter exposes the reality of those who are overlooked (Stoner). They are taken advantage of and suffer the consequence of not speaking up by being blamed for all consequences. People know that they can’t argue so forcible thrust responsibility into the hands of the meek. 

Stoner captures the essence of how upbringing is crucial in terms of how a child will progress into adulthood. Grace is so sheltered that becoming her own person after adolescence makes her become hastily attracted to the idea of rebellion. So much so that she goes to extreme measures to ensure she makes a point to her parents, particularly Edith, by becoming pregnant as a teenager. 

Williams portrayed the individuality in each person, and how innate qualities continue from one’s youth to old age. 

Stoner revealed the scarcity of the lives we all live. He demonstrated that despite the achievements, be it little or monumental, we achieve in our lifetime, the end is inevitable. Once we cease to exist, our body becomes unknown, linked only to a name, to a face of the past. 

Stoner had the ability to teach us to forgive because of the death that humans collectively share, knowing that a grudge won’t be deemed as important later. Stoner also began to discuss the bleakness of a life without unpredictable elements or variation.

Stoner remained in one place for practically his entire time on earth – unknowing that immobility would make his life entirely unlived.

Stoner taught us appreciation – Williams showed that we can avoid the tragic trajectory of Stoner, creating a construct which died alone so that we could live.