Indian Horse Quotes With Page Numbers

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With over 130 residential schools built across Canada, thousands of negatively impacted survivors never got a chance to recover their identity and build themselves a community. In Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse, the main character Saul uses hockey as an escape from reality and a way to keep a hold on his freedom of identity. Hockey allows him to build a sense of community and introduces him to the concept of family. Wagamese uses hockey to depict Saul’s identity loss and rebuild, serving as an example of the lasting negative impacts on residential school survivors. Firstly, Saul uses hockey as a way to escape reality and hold on to his newfound feeling of freedom of identity. The following two quotes, through the repetition and metaphorical …show more content…

Hearing his name in this context allows him to hold on to his cultural roots and find a sense of pride that is often denied to him in other areas of his life. The next quote that serves as proof for the argument is said by Virgil to Saul after a practice with the Moose. “You go somewhere when you’re on the ice,” Virgil said after practice. “It’s like watching you walk into a secret place that no one else knows how to get to.” Virgil’s metaphorical description of Saul’s experience on the ice illustrates the sense of escape and the freedom that hockey provides. Describing Saul’s presence on the rink as entering a “secret place” symbolizes a personal refuge where Saul can momentarily leave behind the struggles and pain of his life. The metaphor portrays the psychological relief that hockey offers. The idea of a “secret place” also suggests a level of intimacy and personal significance that hockey holds for Saul. It is a mental place that belongs solely to him, an emotional escape that no one else can intrude on. This sanctuary allows Saul to explore his identity and feel a sense of freedom that, as I mentioned, is otherwise inaccessible to him. The metaphor emphasizes the transformative power of hockey, providing Saul with a coping mechanism. Being on the ice, Saul can access a part of himself that