This Is Our Story

The Remington is a crucial clue in solving Grant’s murder. The River Point Boys refuse to say who was using the rifle, always repeating the line “The Remington was Grant’s gun” when questioned by police (Page 34 among others). The Remington is a clue and a symbol of Grant’s murderer. This is why it’s so significant that the photo of the River Point Boys all together shows Grant holding the gun. As John Michael points out, if any of the other boys had been holding the weapon in the photo, the public would have found it easy to brand that one the killer: “If any one of us, other than Grant, had been holding that gun, our story would have fallen apart. Regardless of who pulled the trigger, an image of one of us holding the Remington would have been the only proof the public needed” (17).

More than that, the gun is also a symbol of the “good ol’ boys” club. Hunting is a traditionally male activity and a hobby that the River Point Boys appear to have engaged in regularly. The gun had all of the boys’ fingerprints on it, suggesting a sense of community; it was something they all shared. Taking part in the activity of hunting—on the luxurious River Point estate—and handling the Remington, Grant’s gun, was a privilege the boys were allowed as part of their status in the club. The gun unites the boys and protects them, thanks to the fact that it holds all of their fingerprints. No one boy can be singled out as using it to kill Grant. It’s thus ironic that the gun also pins the murder on John Michael. As long as the “good ol’ boys” stuck together—as long as all of their fingerprints were on the gun—they would all be safe. It’s only when the boys start to turn on one another, and when John Michael is seen holding the gun, that the safety of the “good ol’ boys” protection fails. The gun thus represents the mechanism of the boys’ club and how it works: Stick together and stay safe—turn on one another, and your protection vanishes.