Stone Cold

The motif of invisibility is central to Stone Cold, conveying the theme of Societal Indifference to Suffering. For Link and the other unhoused characters, invisibility is a daily reality as they’re ignored and disregarded by society.

In Chapter 1, Link openly acknowledges his invisibility: “I’m invisible, see? One of the invisible people” (7). This sets the tone for his experiences throughout the story. The imagery of Link sitting in a doorway, unnoticed by passersby, symbolizes how society neglects the unhoused, making them feel unseen and insignificant.

The setting of London intensifies this sense of invisibility. As the largest city in Britain, London’s vastness makes individual unhoused people seem insignificant. The crowded streets of the city amplify the feeling of being overlooked. While begging for money with Ginger, Link observes, “Some would simply walk on glassy-eyed and expressionless, as though Ginger wasn’t there” (37). This illustrates how people ignore unhoused people, refusing to even acknowledge their presence.

This invisibility deeply affects Link’s sense of self. He reflects, “There’s nowhere you can run to, because nobody cares. Nobody gives a damn. You’re just another dosser, and one dosser more or less makes no difference” (13).