In short stories, often an author can find him/herself limited on space to develop one or more of the story’s characters. A skilled author can use small vignettes to relate instances of character development that can be used to infer a relationship with the character. These passages can be a line or two, but can carry the weight of a full chapter if executed properly. Will Weaver paints an idyllic farm scene in “A Gravestone Made of Wheat,” featuring a full cast of traditional characters. Nevertheless, through glimpses into specific instances in Olaf and Inge’s respective lives together, the audience can appreciate their nontraditional nature. Weaver’s short story opens with a confrontation between a small town sheriff and one of his constituents regarding the burial of the latter’s recently deceased wife. Olaf is portrayed as a simple farmer, with strong connections to family. In the first few lines of the story, Olaf displays confusion towards the sheriff’s presence at what he considers a family event, the burial of his wife. Olaf is under large amounts of stress at this point, as he is sitting directly beside his beloved wife’s coffin and is being told that he cannot continue with the burial as he had so planned. This makes Olaf seem confused, and mentally fuzzy; while his son Einar is trying to ensure his father understands the gravity of the situation, Olaf is distracted when “suddenly a fly buzzed like a chainsaw.” These actions show the audience how deeply Olaf must have been moved by the death of his wife. In the ensuing conversation with the sheriff, Olaf further shows signs of confusion by his soft, feeble responses. Olaf views the situation as an affront to his family’s wishes. To him, the burial of a loved one is strictly familial business, and the sheriff has no place interfering with his plans. The idea of a new set of laws infringing on his