We, as humans, respond to stress and trauma in a variety of different ways. Some are negative, others more positive. In Indian Horse, readers may see that Saul Indian Horse is a complex character, with many different coping strategies. For example, Saul goes through sports, alcohol, isolation, and eventually communication. Each of which helps him cope during different journeys in his life. So as readers continue reading Indian Horse, they will notice that Saul’s character goes through several traumatic events, in which we see his character evolve and change the ways he deals with stress and trauma. To begin with, toward the start of Saul's journey, we see that he develops a newfound love of hockey, which aids him through a tough time. Furthermore, readers can see how hockey transports Saul away from the horrible conditions of St. Jerome. …show more content…
In addition, hockey gave Saul a passion and also something to look forward to in the dark. However, Saul quotes, “I no longer felt the hopeless chill in the air around me because I had father Lebotuiller on the ice and the morning promise of the game (68). This quote proves that hockey gave Saul some much-needed motivation, and his love of his new hobby allowed him to wake up early each morning looking forward to the next. Lastly, the text provides readers with evidence of Saul’s newfound motivation. Wagamese writes, “But I want to learn it” and “Can I look after the snow then”. This shows Saul is willing to do anything just to get a shot at being involved with hockey, much less play it, distracting him from the horrors of St.