Introduction
The bone People provide a broad perspective over which a number of issues can be painted. The events in the story are fascinating to say the least, though provides a basis over which a number of real life issues can be understood. The story about New Zealand and the Maori myths have been told to a number of generations (Hulme, 12). Hulme in her exploration of human relationships, sought to show how life could sometimes have a sudden turn of events to the extent that social associations are affected. From Hulme’s exploration of human life in the context of New Zealand and Maori myth, it can be stated that fear of the unknown brings about various conflicts in human relationships.
The three characters in the story are all surrounded in mysteries. This is a classic reflection of a Maori myth (Hulme, 16). Kerewin chooses solitary confinement as a way of life. There is no absolute justification as to why she chooses to live the way she lives. On the hand, the introduction of Joe in the story puts the story in a different level since the readers are not told about Joe as a stepfather and where he has been (Hulme, 24). On the other hand, Simon, the young boy, comes from nowhere and brings a total turn of events in the story to a large extent. Kerewin is forced to accommodate the boy, and to some extent, literally makes her one of her own. The meeting of the two super humans changes the meaning and the identity of the story to a large extent. The story should be understood from the point of view where human relationships are concerned.
Fear of the unknown in relationships can bring about conflicts in human relationships to a great extent. The Bone People attest to this argument in so many different ways (Hulme, 34). To start with, the fear that existed among the three individuals brought about mutual suspicion in the relationship. It is a potential area of conflict. Kerewin who is used to staying alone encounters a creature that she does not know about. She is, therefore, conflicted because she does not know whether to open up to the boy or just keeps the silence. Her situation is worsened by the fact that the boy is seriously unable to speak a single word. Knowing the intentions of the boy becomes elusive. On the other hand, Joe, who is a Maori, does not know what to think about the boy and feels uncomfortable to a large extent. Mutual suspicion exists among the three individuals, and resolving the conflict is worsened by the way the relationships are choreographed.
Another area of human conflict arising as a result of the fear of the unknown is seen in the area of child abuse. Joe does not know the boy and therefore, ends up assaulting the boy almost on a daily basis. The frustrations of Joe can, however, are understood from the point of view that he is a Maori, and does not know the potential disadvantage of the boy (Hulme, 112). The disliking of the boy is as a result of the fact that the boy does not talk and his place of origin merely shrouded in mystery. Child abuse can be an offense that is unforgivable. Joe takes the abuse of the boy as a normal issue and does it without any regard of the boy’s rights. Fear can lead human beings to get into conflicts that are not explainable.
Love and hate are predominant in the story line in equal measure. While Kerewin shows immense love for the boy, Joe is non-committal about anything. Hate is the order of the day for Joe, who does not like the boy. This is only testimony that fear can bring about a conflict where love exists. In so far as the story is concerned, Joe does not only love Simon because of the fear that the boy may be a strange phenomenon. In a society such as New Zealand, where the origin of a clique of people is surrounded in mystery, Joe finds it pulsating just to show love to a figure whose background cannot be traced (Hulme, 211). Human relationships in this point of view are conflicted because of fear. To a large extent, it can be noted that the mysterious occurrences in the story that in fact lead to hatred and love in equal measure can be traced from the point of view that the three individuals are themselves conflicted to a great extent. When human beings are frustrated, they are forced to take up actions that are irrational. Fear makes human beings to be frustrated in the sense that there are no reassurances that everything will work in the best way intended. Joe takes up alcoholism as a consolation in order to fight the fear that surrounds him and the boy. Fear brings about frustrations that later forces people to engage in acts such as alcoholism.
Identity crisis in this story provokes a number of issues that can be understood from the point of view where the three people come from. The story about Zealand as told by a number of people is surrounded in myths about the origin of the some group of people. The origin of the Maori people is founded on myths (Stachurski, 54). Similarly, there is an identity issue in the story that has to do with the origin of the boy. For instance, it is not clear where the boy comes from and this to some extent causes a scare in the manner in which the relationship between Simon, Kerewin and Joe are based. While the boy is not able to speak a word, it can be assumed that he is equally confused about the identity of Kerewin and Joe. On the other hand, Joe and Kerewin are most disturbed, though Kerewin seems to have shelved the fears. Conflicts are in different instances about to occur when there is a fear about the identity of a given person.
Conclusion
Maori myth and New Zealand reality can be understood from the point of view of human relationships (Fox et al, 48). While the myth about Maori establishes the basis of understanding of New Zealand, it should be noted that the perspectives could only be understood from the interactions between persons. Fear of the unknown causes conflicts in relationships in various different ways. Due to fear, conflicts lead people to engage in certain behaviors that are questionable though understandable. Simon, Joe and Kerewin are creatures developed under special circumstances. The Bone People provide readers with exceptional insights into the life of human beings in conflict. From the individual relationships among the three characters, it can be noted that fear of the unknown brings about various conflicts in human relationships.
Works Cited
Fox, Alistair, Barry K. Grant, and Hilary Radner. New Zealand Cinema: Interpreting the Past. Bristol, UK: Intellect, 2011. Print.
Hulme, Keri. The Bone People. New York: Penguin Books, 2010. Print.
Stachurski, Christina. Reading Pakeha? Fiction and Identity in Aotearoa New Zealand. Amsterdam: Rodopi, 2009. Print.
