ipl-logo

Alicia Elliot Unearth

690 Words3 Pages

Unearth

Like a good criminal, the Canadian government worked hard to hide the bodies of the young lost to residential schools. For the author's intended message to be retained by the reader over time, literary devices are crucial in storytelling. They encourage the reader to reflect more deeply on word choice. Through irony, symbolism, and repetition, Alicia Elliot's short story "Unearth" illustrates to some extent the harm caused by the segregation and appalling treatment endured in residential schools.

Throughout the story, Alicia Elliots' “Unearth” uses repetition to engrain key points into the reader's mind. “Buy 10 get 1 free, buy 8 get 1 free and a lighter” shows signs encouraging and promoting alcohol and nicotine to at-risk persons …show more content…

‘Unearth’ is symbolic of how the culture and identity of indigenous cultures have been suppressed and or lost recently due to the effects of colonization. As well as a direct reference to digging up the lost people due to residential schools. The fact that a “fast food restaurant” was built over the grounds of a residential school is symbolic of the fact that indigenous lives and culture have been covered up by capitalism and colonialism. This shows the complete disregard for the respect that should be given to those who lost their lives in residential schools. “Henry's body” is evidence of the hardships and trauma residential schools have caused. His body was forgotten and buried beneath the restaurant. Sybloising the suppression of the history and culture of indigenous peoples. Symbolism is an important tool used by Alicia Elliot because it allows the reader to think deeper and discover a secondary meaning between the key points of the …show more content…

“Father Landry suggested that the kids go to residential schools to be saved properly.” As the religious leader suggests the children should attend residential schools to be ‘saved’ when in fact many kids going to residential schools by force or choice ended up dead and forgotten. Families clueless to the where abouts of their loved ones taken. Shows how little regard many had for the well-being of the children. “I'm fine please continue” This sentence is ironic in this situation while being toured the makeshift grave of her brothers at a residential school. Most people would have strong feelings when visiting and or finding the grave of a loved one lost. Especially when their life was lost to government-mandated residential schools. Irony allows the reader to think deeper into the cultural and societal views of those attending compared to those in charge of residential

Show More
Related

Review Of Graeme Dixon's Poem 'Coolungar Thieves'

598 Words | 3 Pages

Dixon uses this poetic device to make abstract or unfamiliar ideas concepts more concrete and easier to understand, visualize and remember. This encourages the reader to realize that Indigenous Australians saw people like A. O. Neville, who presided with the policy to remove Aboriginal children from their families, as the devil. This device helps communicate the message by showing how much members of the Stolen Generations have suffered. This also makes the audience understand why this practice has had such a negative and ongoing impact on First Nations

Read More

Moon Of The Crusted Snow Rhetorical Analysis

810 Words | 4 Pages

This connects to the recurring theme in the story, the Theme of Survival in a crisis. The book repeatedly presents the adaptability of indigenous people in crisis throughout history using examples of the residential schools in Canada and the challenges the characters in the book are currently

Read More

Chemistry By Ron Rash Irony Essay

1624 Words | 7 Pages

Dramatic irony and tragic irony are two concepts that can change the entire way one looks at how a story of any kind is presented. In the two short stories “Chemistry” by Ron Rash and “The Retreat” by Bobbie Ann Mason, irony plays a significant role in how the concept can completely consume a story making it come to life. Without irony, these two short stories would not have the intensity and meaningfulness packed into them. The short story “Chemistry” has a major focus on tragic irony.

Read More

Theme Of Losses In The Marrow Thieves

429 Words | 2 Pages

Many lost their innocence, their laughter, their lives.” (Dimaline 23) this shows the idea of what the Residential schools have done to the kids who sadly were taken away from their families, and what the government has done to

Read More

Indian School Road Sparknotes

773 Words | 4 Pages

Without documentation, the assaults and abuse committed by Father Mackey, the initial administrator of Shubenacadie Residential School, would have gone unnoticed and unacknowledged. It was only through the recording and documenting of his actions that the truth was revealed. By uncovering his actions and motivations, Benjamin's novel sheds new light on the residential school system and offers a fresh perspective on a long-standing issue. His writing raises important questions about accountability and the need for systemic change. The eye-opening accounts presented in this novel serve as a powerful reminder of the atrocities committed against Indigenous children and the ongoing impact

Read More

Indian Horse Sparknotes

690 Words | 3 Pages

His major goal is to raise awareness about the terrible history and current ramifications of Canada's residential school system. To do this, he vividly and truthfully depicts the sufferings of indigenous youngsters, highlighting the horrors perpetrated on indigenous nations. He hopes to educate readers, elicits empathy, and spark discussion about these awful occurrences. Wagamese also aspires to inspire readers, particularly those from indigenous backgrounds, to embrace and take pride in their cultural heritage. Furthermore, he seeks to bridge knowledge gaps and promote empathy between indigenous and non-indigenous people.

Read More

Treblinka Gas Chamber Analysis

1033 Words | 5 Pages

In the poem “Treblinka Gas Chamber”, by Phyllis Webb and in the TRC’s “The History”, both texts share a common theme of inhumane treatment towards children within certain cultural and ethnical groups. While the two authors explore distinct historical contexts, both texts are centred on racial segregation with nationalistic motives. Phyllis Webb appeals to a logos strategy through the use of allusion. In her poem, “Treblinka Gas Chamber”, Webb presents fictional and historical examples to display her knowledge and establish her credibility.

Read More

Outdistanced And The History Teacher

312 Words | 2 Pages

The use of irony in the two poems “The History Teacher” by Billy Collins and “Outdistanced” by Larry Rubin punctuated the shared theme that a willful lack of self-awareness can quickly lead to greater societal ignorance of what should shape humanity. Both poems present irony in the actions of the teacher and the young man and the effects that those ignorant actions have. For example, in “The History Teacher”, the teacher decides that in order to preserve the children’s innocence, he needs to keep them in the dark about the horrific events in history. He instead teaches them that, “The War of Roses took place in a garden” (11). This is ironic because the children's innocence is already gone as evidenced because they “torment the weak/ and the

Read More

Summary Of We Were Children

863 Words | 4 Pages

It was the belief of the nurses as they coerced the children to learn God’s language, English, and “saved” them from their cultural ties. This belief normalized the mistreatment in the residential schools allowing for it to exist. Furthermore, when the two children had escaped from residential school the aunt, where they stopped for a break, turned them in because going back to the school and getting an education was going to be good for their future. Through these events it is clear that the producer may be advocating both the lack of knowledge about residential schools and the devaluation of Aboriginal communities. If society knew about these events in the schools, then like the nurse that tried to help all the children, more people would have taken action against them and those that knew about what is going on in the schools did not value the lives of Aboriginals enough to protest against

Read More

Symbolism In 'The Raven And Minister's Black Veil'

641 Words | 3 Pages

Symbolism allows the author to create a story that would otherwise be bland and monotone. Without this dark romantic element, books, short stories, and poems would not have as much meaning nor appealing detail. Symbolism in "The Raven," "The Devil and Tom Walker," and "The Minister's Black Veil," creates layers of meaning and interesting characters. Symbolism has been used for centuries to spice up the literary world. Sometimes it is used in obvious ways, but other time it has to be thoroughly studied to be imperturbably understood.

Read More

The Theme Of Loss In Indian Horse And I M Not The Indian You Had In Mind

1429 Words | 6 Pages

It depicts the Indigenous people's losses of land, culture, and identity, as well as the loss of their traditional way of life. The writer has a connection to the struggles they faced as a result of the consequences the Indigenous faced and indicates that challenges will arise in the future. Moreover, in the research source "[t]hese are tough conversations and we have to get to a point where we are willing to make mistakes because we are going to make mistakes along the way" (Larson, online). It conveys reconciliation and difficult conversation, similar to loss, loneliness, and healing. The text and the real world demonstrate the complexities of historical injustices.

Read More

Dumpster Diving Rhetorical Analysis

816 Words | 4 Pages

An example of irony in the section about the students is the idea of what is good or bad. As its states, “Students throw out many good things, including food” (Eighner 110). Presumably, food is thrown out because it is bad and is unfavorable to the student, however; Eighner finds that the student throwing out food is a good thing because it is favorable thing to him and others. Another example of irony is the food’s value. As its states, “The students does not know that, and since it is Daddy’s money, the student decides not to take a chance” (Eighner 111).

Read More

The Lesson By Toni Cade Bambara Analysis

728 Words | 3 Pages

The use of irony portrays how the trip ended up teaching Sylvia, the protagonist of the story, more than she

Read More

Essay On Symbolism In The Book Speak

1197 Words | 5 Pages

Symbolism can use an object (like a tree of birds), or art, (like Melinda’s art project or Mr. Freeman's canvas) to represent an abstract idea. Laurie Halse Anderson uses symbolism to hint at a certain mood or emotion, rather than just blatantly saying it. So, the use of symbolism is important because it helps create meaning and emotion in a story. Symbolism makes a book fun to read, the symbolism produces a thought provoking work of art and it, (like in this book), adds meaning to seemingly unrelated objects and elicits emotions in the

Read More

Situational Irony In Ray Bradbury's There Will Come Soft Rain

939 Words | 4 Pages

The fact that the house continues to do its daily tasks without knowing the residents have perished is the overshadowing example of situational irony in the story. The fact that the house survived a nuclear fallout yet ends up being destroyed by a fire caused by a tree branch falling is a perfect example of situational irony in the story. Finally, the poem used by Ray Bradbury is ironic because it was one of Mrs. McClellan’s favorite poems and it happens to describe the present situation in the story. All of these examples of situational irony engage the reader in a very unique

Read More

More about Alicia Elliot Unearth

Related Topics

Open Document