Stoner - A novel

April 14, 2018

Stoner was supposed to go to college, get his degree in Agricultural studies and start helping out his family on the farm and be the good old lad his parents wanted him to be. Except, in the mandatory literature class he suddenly finds himself lost in trying to explain a sonnet by William Shakespeare. Unbeknownst to his parents, Stoner changes his Major to literature. He finally manages to tell his parents during his graduation that he won’t be going back to the farm with them and instead continues on to pursue his Masters in English Literature. Stoner goes on to become an Assistant Professor and even if he hasn’t quite won over his students, he for his part enjoys being amongst the students in his class doing what he believes is his calling.

Stoner’s strong pull towards teaching is further increased when he realises that his marriage was doomed from the start. Being in the company of a woman who can barely even look at him, Stoner is further driven away from his home and finds sanctuary in his profession. His wife who from the beginning of their marriage had no interest in any sort of physical relationship with Stoner drives him to a state where they don’t even share the same bedroom. All of this suddenly changes when his wife decides she wants a child. Yet, this sudden drive for wanting a child makes Stoner hope again. His hope for a relationship is dashed when after getting pregnant his wife goes back to her old ways.

Their child is born and again Stoner sees a light. Grace, his daughter is neglected by Edith his wife and he gets promoted as Associate Professor with tenure. Stoner starts dividing his attention between his work and child only to have Edith continually trying to disrupt his relationship with his daughter. Her urge to take any source of joy from Stoner wills her further to disrupt his work at home which finally leads to Stoner finding himself spending more and more time at college.

While he is having his own personal battles at home he finds that his work is still keeping him going. He has his purpose. Even that doesn’t last too long when he manages to irk an H.O.D. Lomax, the head of the department is so infuriated with Stoner that he makes it his mission in life to make Stoner as miserable as he possibly can with his power. Stoner gets assigned to introductory classes. He is kept form teaching the advance classes. Even when Stoner gets to a point where he is senior faculty member he is meted out with the same treatment. Yet again in all of this he meets a woman and falls in love.

As life goes on we face disappointments, meet people, make friends, face the wrath of our colleagues, yet we persevere because that’s life.

John Williams has characterised Stoner as a passive man, who diligently goes about his life, meets an attractive woman falls in love and then realises that his marriage was doomed even before it started and yet he goes on because what other choice does he have? He finds someone who loves him back but, will it last? Will his child grow up and realise that she is loved by him? Will his daughter return his affection? Will Edith ever resign to accepting him just as he has accepted her? Stoner goes on about life just as he best can.

The gist of the book might sound a little sad, a little lacking in story and may seem completely devoid of any signs of hope.

If you take a moment to reflect, you probably have a few little disappointments but you also have a lot of hope and you certainly have something that you inexplicably love.