Study the form of a blues song. Write a song in this form describing what happens to Robert in the story.

Read one of the other stories in Boyle's collection Greasy Lake and Other Stories, and compare its style and themes to that of "Stones in My Pass way, Hellhound on My Trail." What similarities and differences do you find? Report on your findings.

Research the causes and consequences of self-destructive behavior. What kind of counseling could Robert have received that might have helped change his behavior?

Investigate the lives of African Americans in the South during the depression. Was life harder for them than it had been prior to this period? How do their experiences compare to those of white Americans?