Majority of the boys of Stand By Me are processing grief while undergoing the journey to find the body itself. On a surface level they are all processing the thought of a person, their age, having died nearby their home however, through a more sophisticated lens it evident that this body is just a symbol of their personal adversity they are overcoming.

Gordie processes the recent loss of his brother Denny and Teddy allows himself to grieve the time and love he does not receive from his father. While Gordie and Teddy’s grief is both related to an important person, Chris alternately mourns the life he could have had. Chris never gives himself the chance to succeed as he always presumes he must live up to the bad expectations everyone holds against him. However, through self-discovery displayed throughout the film and the disclosure at the end, it is evident that Chris overcomes this self-pity and becomes the better man.

The grieving process Chris undergoes is evident by the change in mannerisms and behaviour, as he becomes more sensitive and open with his emotions and those of others. This signals that he begins to subdue the self-doubt he had been experiencing, much like Gordie who forgives himself for not crying at Denny’s funeral. This single scene marks the start of both these boys personal journey of overcoming the grief they hold.

The significance of this scene is highlighted by the dark, sombre lighting which is supported by the flickering warm toned front light to create a sense of calmness and true vulnerability. The use of high angles looking down onto Gordie as he lays, creates the appearance that he is smaller and insecure. This signifies the severity of these challenges each of the boys face in comparison to their age, as depicted by their small physical size via the high angles. This is complemented by the acting later in the scene of Chris as he cries and his face becomes red, encouraging the audience to feel empathetic towards him and his situation. This creates a stronger bond between the audience and the characters of the movie, enriching the understanding of why grief can bring friends closer to one another.

This strengthening of friendships can be broadened to friendships derived from the shared grief, as seen in Once by Morris Gleitzmann. Felix a 12 year old boy stumbles across a 6 year old girl called Zelda as he is travelling through war torn country with the naïve hope of finding his parents. This novel is set in Poland during World War II, with the Nazi’s taking all Jewish citizens to concentration camps, or simply murdering them at the site. Felix was incognisant to the horrors occurring around him until he rescues Zelda from outside a burning house amongst her dead family members. Felix and Zelda then form a tight bond as they shar the trauma of dodging death every step they take, despite the apparent difference between them, with Felix being a Jewish child and Zelda being the child of a Nazi. In theory these kids should have been enemies, however the agony they experience connected them.

The connections formed from a shared grief is evident in the existence of grief camps for children. These summer camps, while mainly seen in America, are a form of counselling for children who have suffered through the loss of a loved one. The camps are a way of connecting kids who have an understanding of what one another has been through, forming strong friendships as they are given resources to remain in contact even after the camp is finished. These camps are similar to the journey the boys undergo in Stand By Me as it not only acts as a form of distraction, but it allows the participants to open up and process their emotions with people around to support them (like how Gordie and Chris support one another).