Throughout his body of work, Stone has created characters who have been described by one critic as "men and women who are fatefully, unluckily, inexorably drawn to threatening circumstances and who confront, both physically and spiritually, only the dimmest prospect of salvation." This is clearly true of all the principal characters in Outerbridge Reach, most dramatically for Owen Browne and to a lesser extent for his wife Anne and for Ron Strickland. Based on need rather than any sense of competition, Owen's decision to enter the race seems to others as reckless and egocentric. For Owen, the race is a test of will and commitment. It is meant to reaffirm the value of his life. Yet for Anne the concept of winning the race takes on increased importance: "It was the only revenge on life. Other people wanted reassurance in their own misery and mediocrity. She required victory...