Friendship and trust

The novel Stone Cold by Robert Swindells looks at the theme of friendship and trust, and mainly portrays homelessness as a lonely experience. When Ginger disappears, Link finds himself alone and vulnerable, as he no longer has a friend with whom to share the good and the bad. Even though he promises himself not to get attached to someone else, Link quickly befriends Gail and they become companions. This situation highlights Link’s need for friendship, which makes his homelessness experience bearable. 

When he meets Ginger, Link is initially cautious, as he is aware that being homeless means constantly being in danger: 

You might be spotted by a gang of lager louts on the lookout for someone to maim. That happens all the time too, and if they get carried away you can...