Comparing The Prophecy And Sturgeon

Among the commotion and displacement often experienced in everyday life, it's important to strive to learn from previous experiences that can help move forward in life. “The Prophecy” by Basil H. Johnston, a prominent storyteller from the Anishinaabe community, talks about the idea of disturbance through a short story. In the story, the Indigenous community is informed of the big changes coming due to the arrival of white settlers. Moreover, in the poem “Sturgeon” by Kateri Akiwenzie-Damm, a widely recognized Indigenous writer, the poem elaborates on the idea of feeling trapped and the eagerness for freedom, using the image of a fish caught in a river. Although both "The Prophecy" and "Sturgeon" differ in tone; Ultimately, both share the same

Specifically, the short story “The Prophecy” by Basil H. Johnson uses plenty of imagery to describe the white settlers. An example of imagery demonstrated in “The Prophecy” is when Daebaudjimoot declares “The men and women that I speak of are all white, face, bodies, arms, hands and legs, pale as the rabbits of winter. “ And. . . they [white settlers] are hairy. . . hair growing on their arms, legs, chests, backs and arm-pits. . . and some men grow hair upon their faces around their mouths, drooping down from their chins, like moose beards” (Johnston 22 - 23). Daebaudjimoot also states, "Their eyes too are unlike ours [indigenous peoples]; round. . . quite round. . . like the eyes of raccoons. . . and blue like the colour of blueberries" (23). By mentioning this, it is evident that Daebaudjimoot is trying to paint a picture of the distinction in physical appearance between white and indigenous peoples. By using such descriptive language, Johnson effectively conveys the contrast in the physical features between the two groups. The reader can better comprehend what is written and see the clear distinctions between the two groups due to the use of