Moving To The Community In Thomas King's Medicine River

In Thomas King's "Medicine River", the main character, Will, feels distant from his family, community, and culture. His mother, Rose marries a white man who abandons her and her children, therefore losing their rights to live in the reserve. She raises her children on her own outside the reserve in a town called Medicine River. At a young age, Will begins to have unresolved emotional feelings due to his father's disappearance. In Will's early twenties he moves to Toronto and leaves his family and Medicine River. Although Will is reluctant to be involved in the Native American community in Medicine River, he makes decisions in life that make him a part of the community: he decides to move back to Medicine river to start a business and continues to be involved in community events.

As Will heads back to Toronto after his mother's funeral, Harlen meets him at the airport to pursued him to start a photography business in Medicine River. Clouded with emotions after his mother's funeral, Will "[silps] from melancholy to depression" (75), and refuses Harlen's business proposal. He has no plans in returning to Medicine River and he throws away the folder from Harlen. However, Will was unable to find a job in Toronto, so he decides to take the opportunity to start a new life in Medicine River. By starting a business in Medicine River, he is obligated to stay and live in the town to make a living. In this moment, Will accepts Medicine River as his