Analysis Of Green Grass Running Water By Thomas King

Lionel’s Resolution in Part 3 of Green Grass Running Water

In part three of Thomas King’s Green Grass Running Water, the character of Lionel decides: “Today things change'" (King 264). In the novel, Lionel is the lonely, gloomy character. Just like all of the other characters, Lionel wants to be successful and happy with his life. The main reason Lionel decides to change things at this specific point in the book is that it is his fortieth birthday and he realizes that he is still an embarrassment. He realizes that he is unhappy with his life, and that he needs to make something of himself already. On page 306, Lionel decides to set some goals for the rest of his life. These goals are the beginning of change for Lionel, and they show the significance

This goal signifies the beginning of his journey. He wants to resign from the job at Bursum’s because it makes him feel unaccomplished. Lionel goes through his options and thinks: “Doctor, lawyer, Indian Chief. Doctor, lawyer, television salesman. John Wayne” (265). At the end of this quote, Lionel compares what he is now to what he wants to be. Lionel really emphasizes the fact that he wants to be John Wayne because John Wayne is essentially a symbol of success in the West. Lionel wants to be that character -- not that actor -- because John Wayne always won and Lionel’s life seemed to be a series of losses. Furthermore, towards the beginning of the book, King explains: “Lionel had made only three mistakes in his entire life, the kind of mistakes that seem small enough at the time, but somehow get out of hand. The kinds that stay with you for a long time” (28). The last of these -- clearly very costly -- mistakes was deciding to work at Bursum’s, because it took away his chance of ever becoming half as successful as John Wayne. Lionel does not need anymore of those kinds of depressing losses in his life, so he starts with fixing the one mistake he can

He wants to go back to school so that he can tangibly see that he is not what he used to be. Lionel reasons: “University. Of course, it was the key to everything” (265). After leaving Bursum’s, Lionel could go and prove himself by getting a decent job and coming closer to being a hero. He could get a degree just like Eli, Charlie, and Alberta, and he could feel like he actually accomplished something. All three of these characters really affect Lionel’s self-worth in one way or another. For example, Norma is constantly reminding Lionel that he is just like his uncle Eli. The only difference is that Eli is a hero and Lionel is not. Norma had also told Lionel that: “Alberta wasn’t going to marry an embarrassment” (263). This shows that Alberta was too high class to marry Lionel in the condition that he was in, and it also shows that Charlie is clearly a better match for Alberta. Lionel believes that getting a degree will bring him up to the same level as these people, and it will make him feel much more successful than he used to