The Half-Skinned Steer Themes

In “The Half-Skinned Steer,” the elderly Mero Corn returns home to his family’s ranch to attend his brother Rollo’s funeral. While driving from Massachusetts to Wyoming, Mero recalls past events that compelled him to leave home as a young man. As the story progresses, however, it becomes clear that Mero didn’t escape completely; his choices and memories have kept him tethered to home, a place that has exerted its influence over his entire life…

Proulx’s story is told largely via flashback, as Mero recalls various childhood memories during his drive home to attend his brother Rollo’s funeral. This suggests that Mero is a character more emotionally focused on the past than on the present. As Mero continues to fixate on people and places from long ago, however, his memories prove unreliable, and he ultimately places himself in dangerous situations that result in his probable death. In Proulx’s story…