Boycotted, and Other Stories

A teenage narrator recounts a bleak term at Draven’s boarding school, where the sudden expulsion of his charismatic friend Brown throws the whole house into a somber hush. The story opens with the narrator’s desperate plea to the stern headmaster, only to be rebuffed, and the mystery of Browne’s undisclosed offense hangs over the boys’ daily routines—football, recitals, and Saturday evenings all feel hollow without him. Through vivid, slightly nostalgic prose, the reader gets a sense of the cramped corridors, the chill of frosty mornings, and the uneasy camaraderie that tries to hold together a community shaken by scandal.

As the narrator turns his attention to his own looming troubles, the narrative hints at deeper personal conflicts that will unfold beyond the school’s walls. This first tale sets the tone for the collection, blending humor, melancholy, and the restless energy of youth, promising more varied voices and situations in the stories that follow.