One message the author may be conveying to the reader is that blindly following traditions could be fatal. Throughout the story the author uses irony to shock the reader at the tale's conclusion. ... By the the end of the story readers then figure out why the the kids were gathering small rocks, as the author states, "The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready" (Jackson 6). ... The author could have chosen any other name, but she decided on "Graves". ...

• Word Count: 1411
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School

One message the author may be conveying to the reader is that blindly following traditions could be fatal. Throughout the story the author uses irony to shock the reader at the tale's conclusion. ... By the the end of the story readers then figure out why the the kids were gathering small rocks, as the author states, "The pile of stones the boys had made earlier was ready" (Jackson 6). ... The author could have chosen any other name, but she decided on "Graves". ...

• Word Count: 1411
• Approx Pages: 6
• Has Bibliography
• Grade Level: High School