Blackberries In June Ron Rash Analysis

In Ron Rash’s short story “Blackberries in June”, Rash explores the strained relationship of Jamie and her high school sweet heart, Matt, to her family. Through the characters interactions with each other Rash paints a picture of how major hardships can sever an already fragile bond between family members. Jamie and Matt, much to Jamie’s family opposition, have been saving up to own their dream home on the lake. After a freak accident on the job, Jamie’s brother, Charlton, loses his leg. In order to help sustain her brother and his family’s life during this time Jamie is face with an impossible ultimatum to sell her dream home or become an estrange member of her family. The choices throughout the story and the characters reactions to them depict

a family growing apart.
Matt has been working at Jamie’s brothers at his logging company receiving percentages instead of an hourly wage like the other workers. Together he and Jamie finally saved up the money to buy their house on the lake. Jamie’s mother had not agreed with the decision though she acted supportive before Charlton’s accident telling them “That lake house, you had no right to expect such a place so young. You know it was a miracle you got it in the first place.” (212). Matt is a strong believer in working to get what you deserve telling Jamie “You make your own luck.” He hated that the his wife’s entire family thought they were lucky when he spent all his time working hard to have what he wanted. He also hated that they would shove advice he never asked for in his face saying “Your mother and grandma need to keep their advice to themselves.” (207). So when Charlton had his accident he knew it was his own doing saying “Charlton shouldn’t have been running that saw. He’d been drinking.” (209). Though Linda, Charlton wife, saw it as a freak accident that could have happen to anyone. Matt and Linda have never been on good terms this accident broke any type of relationship they had with each other. She projected her insecurities on to him and used this moment to put everything she was feeling in the air.