Conflicts are challenges faced by people, which in turn helps them to succeed in their lives. In the novel The First Stone by Don Aker, Chad Kennedy faces different types of conflict that lead to positive personal growth. Chad was unable to cope with the death of his grandmother. His depression and anxiety led him to be unkind towards others. Reef faces many types of challenges and learns to overcome these in life. The traffic moved smoothly under the Park St overpass. Leeza saw a teenager from the overpass waved hand at her. “Then something happened that broke the windshield.” (Aker 35). Reef developed a malicious attitude towards others but the above mentioned intent made him analyse the situation and understand the outcome of his …show more content…
He soon realized that he inherited this manner of speech from his grandfather. By analysing his deed and his actions, he comes to the conclusion that he can be a better person in life. Reef tries to deal with his depression, which makes him turn into a better individual. The picture and the name of Leeza linked his mind to a course of events. “And he imagined his sudden release, the journey he made from the fingertips to the windshield of the car the girl had been driving.” (Aker 62). For the first time, he feels the negative implication of his actions. The name ‘Elizabeth’ reminded him of the crime that he committed and he bore the brunt of the consequences.. Reef can’t forget the death of her grandmother, the one whom he loved so much. “He tried now to think he had seen Nan alive, but the image of her lying in the cheapest casket Proule’ funeral home offered eclipsed the other memories for her.”(Aker 5). He can’t overcome the grief of his grandmother’s death. His depressed state of mind leads him to turn into alcoholic and makes his unkind and brutal towards others. Reef comes face to face with the mistakes that he committed in his life, and he makes