Family in society is usually shown as a close group of people who truly and deeply care for each other, where their bond is built through trust and love. In most aspects, family is believed to have positive impacts and help in many ways. However, Richard Wagamese's novel Indian Horse, truly has a heavy portrayal of family as a theme with unfortunately negative impacts, however some are still positive. It has affected Saul Indian Horse, the main character within his identity through his experiences. Family ties, whether it was a caring and nurturing connection or a strained and troubled connection, played a very pivotal role throughout Saul's trauma, cultural loss, and healing. It also talked about how significant family is, exploring how it influenced Saul growing up and also …show more content…
Despite these hardships, Saul’s healing process shows a message of strength and hope. Firstly, the early life of Saul with his grandmother Naomi provides him with a strong cultural foundation and a sense of belonging. Naomi's efforts to raise Saul within the Ojibway traditions and stories instill in him a deep sense of identity and cultural pride. This caring environment helped Saul to create a strong identity that helped him throughout his life. Secondly, the traumatic separation and loss that he dealt with as a result of the residential school system, ruined the family bonds Saul had, leaving heavy trauma on his sense of self and emotional stability. Also, the forced removal of Benjamin, Saul's brother, showed the terrible impacts of these institutions and how widespread it was on families and communities. Lastly, storytelling and healing as a group played an important role in the reconciliation of Saul's past. Talking about his story was impactful, which led Saul to connect back with his culture while helping the community with the same