The Half-Skinned Steer | The Half-Skinned Steer

At a glance:

Author: Annie Proulx
First Published: 1997
Type of Plot: Domestic realism, regional, frame story
Time of Work: The 1990's
Setting: Rural Wyoming
Principal Characters: Mero, Rollo, Tin Head
Genres: Short fiction
Subjects: Family or family life, North America or North Americans, United States or Americans, Cattle, Twentieth century, Guilt, West, U.S., Brothers, Death or dying, 1990’s, Ranches, ranchers, or ranching, Snow, Wyoming
Locales: Wyoming

The Story

“The Half-Skinned Steer” is told in the third person with frequent flashbacks that reveal various memories of Mero. The flashbacks function as a story-within-a-story, with the girlfriend of Mero's father serving as the narrative voice of those portions of the larger story. The action is both internal and external, either occurring on or resulting from Mero's journey to Wyoming to witness the burial of his brother.

Mero and Rollo were raised on an impoverished ranch in rural Wyoming. Mero left the ranch to go to war, then eventually permanently left his...

The Half-Skinned Steer | The Half-Skinned Steer

At a glance:

The Story

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