Indigenous Themes In Indian Horse, Dead White Writer On The Floor, And

The significance of Indigenous Themes in Indian Horse, Dead White Writer on the Floor, and The Inconvenient Indian.
Indigenous literatures address ongoing struggles faced by Indigenous Communities in Canada. The Indigenous theme of Decolonization is explored in Thomas King’s The Inconvenient Indian and Drew Hayden Taylor’s Dead White Writer on the Floor (DWWOTF). The theme of racism in Indigenous communities is evident in Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse and The Inconvenient Indian. The Indigenous themes of trauma and kinship are evident in Indian Horse and DWWOTF. Through these authentic Indigenous voices, the impact and consequences of certain Indigenous themes and concepts are explored. To start, in DWWOTF, the life that Pochahontas has lived

When Saul plays hockey, he is not solely judged on his abilities as a player, but as an Indigenous player where he faces the use of stereotypes as a way to degrade him. The constant humiliation and harassment experienced by Saul can have devastating effects on one’s mental health and can give rise to unhealthy coping mechanisms such as alcoholism. Comparatively, racism is portrayed in The Inconvenient Indian when Thomas King discusses the history of Indigenous portrayal in Hollywood

His flashback portrays the depth of the trauma that Saul experienced, as he is still struggling to come to terms with the events that took place. The vivid description of his classmate’s suicide combined with Saul’s utter shock highlights the lasting impact that trauma can have on individuals. The fact that Saul resorts to alcohol to cope with his pain also underscores how poor mental health can lead to unhealthy behaviors and coping mechanisms. Comparatively, The concept of trauma is portrayed in DWWOTF when Fred is disclosing his pain in the AA meeting of how trauma has affected his life, resulting in alcoholism. Fred states, “They don’t go away. The memories. I can still see them. Smell them. It hurts, Mike. It hurts. Are you sure I don’t drink anymore? I could sure use one. It makes them go away” (Taylor 70). Fred’s comment is a powerful indicator regarding the consequences of chronic emotional and mental disturbance. Fred describes how traumatic memories continue to haunt him, even after the events themselves have passed. The vivid sensory details - seeing and smelling the memories - suggest that Fred is experiencing these memories in an excruciating focus. The fact that the memories are so painful that Fred feels the need to drink to make them go away highlights the ongoing impact of trauma on Fred’s mental and emotional well-being. Freds struggles show how