Intergenerational Trauma In Five Little Indians

Kenny and Kendra exemplify Michelle Good's theme about intergenerational trauma in the Novel Five Little Indians.

Kenny, a residential school survivor, is Kendra's father. Throughout his childhood, Kenny was abused physically, emotionally and sexually constantly. The readers learn this through the novel with passages such as Lucy saying "They beat him and beat him so many times I couldn't even count" and "...times he was caught by Brother or the RCMP and brought back to be humiliated and beaten." The trauma and abuse he experienced in his childhood is strongly reflected on his adult life. Throughout his childhood, the residential school constantly "brought him back from one of his many attempts to escape." This reflects Kenny's adult

As an adult, he can no longer remain in one setting before he feels like escaping again, just like when he was a child, always trying to run from The Mission. Furthermore, as a result of Kenny's trauma from his childhood of when "Brother beat him...until he collapsed on the floor" and further incidents, he develops an alcohol addiction. Alcohol is often a trauma response that provides temporary relief. Kenny begins to associate alcohol as safety from the memories of his trauma as a child. Again, this was another reflection of childhood experiences on his adult life. Kenny also learned extreme resilience and strength of adversity in the residential school. Kenny once caught Howie trying to eat grass and instead taught Howie to strip fireweed so they could "...[fill their bellies] on the plants Kenny knew so well." This shows his ability to be resilient as a child and reflects on his adult life. Because Kenny could not stay in one place for a long time, he would

Throughout her childhood, she had Lucy, who was her loving mother, and was supported and looked after by Clara. She grew up in Friendship community where peoples of Indigenous descent would help one another. "Lucy was head over heels in love with the baby," revealing that her mother provided her with lots of love and people helped refurnish Kendra's home "hauling garbage out, carrying cleaning supplies in..." revealing that her community was very supportive. However, it always felt like something was missing. Kendra often disclaimed her father because she was upset with him for always leaving. She would tell her mother, "He's not my father. He's some bum who knocked you up and took off." This created a large wedge between herself and her father. Her childhood experiences reflect her adult life; she gradually noticed her father's absence during her adolescence and suffered abandonment issues as she grew up, feeling isolated and lonely in her adult life, because of her childhood. Lucy mentions this to Kenny when she says "She makes it about me, but I don't think that's all that's going on. Girl needs a dad, you know," revealing that indeed, Kendra feels his