An Analysis Of Niska And Xavier In Three Day Road

“A moral being is one who is capable of comparing his past and future actions or motives, and of approving or disapproving of them.” Charles Darwin’s insight into morality is often challenged by the inherent imperfection of human nature. Assimilation is one of many experiences that can have an impact on one’s values and beliefs. However, the interplay between assimilation and moral integrity is not straightforward, but rather depends on one’s identity. Niska and Xavier in Three Day Road both exude a strong sense of morals, which allows them to not succumb to assimilation. Despite the many adversaries that Xavier faced throughout his life, his moral integrity remains steadfast and strong. Additionally, Niska stays true to her beliefs and cultural

After spending years in the bush, Niska realizes that she can no longer relate to other members of the indigenous population. Arriving in Moose Factory after spending years in the wilderness, Niska recounts, “it was obvious that an invisible wall, one impossible to breach, lay between me and the homeguard Indians of this white town” (Boyden 155). Niska is one of the few that resists assimilation to the extent that she fully retains her cultural identity. Subsequently, Niska must fortify her morals in order to not assimilate like the other homeguard Indians. In reference to the Cree community in Three Day Road, Donna Coates argues that “the violence included in this narrative is not strictly oppositional and, more importantly, is not depicted in the elegiac terms of a “last stand”” (Gordon 133). It is apparent that Niska realizes she has the ability to overcome the wemistikoshiw and their assimilation. Nonetheless, Niska’s ability to preserve her spirituality is crucial in allowing herself to remain resolute to her values and beliefs. As identified by the Aboriginal Healing Foundation, spirituality provides “a lens through which to make sense of one’s suffering, as well as the strength to overcome its destructive power, these beliefs foster a sense of peace in individuals arising from their feelings of connectedness with a force more powerful than themselves” (Stout 50). Consequently, Niska’s resilience to assimilation arises also from her relationship with her native spirituality; “I thank Gitchi Manitou for Nephew’s return. I sit and breathe the steam, open myself to the manitous” (Boyden 347). By establishing a strong connection with the divine, Niska’s core values and beliefs are magnified as she deals with