The Boughwolfen and Other Stories

Jere D. Turner is Adult Collections Co-ordinator at the Regina Public
Library in Saskatchewan.

The childhood world of working-class Newfoundland is portrayed in the 14 short stories in this slender volume. The adolescent view and interpretation of the adult world is a major theme throughout the book. Some of the stories deal directly with the youthful mimicry of the adult sexual world, while most have at least some comment on sex. The stories range from humorous to tragic and cover a wide range of topics including sex, madness, violence, and death.

“Striptease” is one of the stories that take a comic look at the serious subject of trying to be an adult. Malcolm, who appears in many of the stories, shows not only entrepreneurship in organizing this “entertainment” but also creativeness in having the performers enter swinging on a rope. The response to the performance varies from excitement to extreme guilt. It ends in a minor tragedy when the rope breaks.

Other stories, such as “The Boughwolfen” and “Sleepwalker,” have an epiphany-like quality as the heroes of the stories experience a revelation. “Sleepwalker” evokes especially strong emotions as the protagonist sees beauty and justification in the suffering of the horses, which are horribly maltreated by Malcolm and his gang.

The Boughwolfen and Other Stories looks at the universal problems of growing up and living in an adult world. It is a worthwhile read for the emotions depicted and the author’s skill in showing these universals in a believable regional context.