Stereotypes In Five Little Indians By Michelle Good

“Whether you agree with a focus on education versus a widespread series of actions, it is clear much work is needed to overcome some very pervasive and damaging stereotypes”. (Chelsea Vowel, The Myth of Progress). Five Little Indians by Michelle Good, follows the lives of multiple Indigenous people from childhood to adulthood. The story begins at The Mission residential school in British Columbia. The children, Lucy, Kenny, Howie, Maisie, and Clara, reside there under the harsh, watchful eye of Father Levesque and the Sisters. The novel follows their lives leaving residential school and their individual and overlapping experiences with justice, love, and loss. I will examine the many ways that stereotypes harm the characters in the novel.

To begin, characters have limited job prospects due to a lack of skills they obtained in residential schools or other institutions such as jail. “Wide awake now, Lucy pressed her face against the window, astounded by the lights, the endless flow of traffic, stores and malls and gas stations, things entirely new to her. Her life in the outside world ended abruptly when she was five years old.” (Good, 33). It is clear that Lucy is leaving The Mission with no clear direction or true understanding of the real world as she has been separated from it for so long. In addition, stereotypes contribute to hostile and unstable work environments for characters. Harlan cut them off and grabbed Lucy by the wrist. “And where the hell have you been? I’m docking your pay!” (Good, 76). Harlan, the boss of Lucy, Maisie and Clara at the Manitou motel, consistently docks the girls’ pay for unreasonable reasons such as missing work because of sickness after already paying them minimum wage and he is physically assaulting Lucy in this scene. Furthermore, characters suffer from limited jobs and opportunities due to racial bias: “You heard me. You know the rules. If you don’t like it, move on. Lots of guys are

Lastly, distrust of Indigenous people and how they will follow rules related to residential schools damage individuals and relationships. ‘“We are going home tomorrow. He will go to school at Red Pheasant.”’ ‘“Sorry, ma’am.” The Mountie stepped forward. “He’s here now, and how do I know you are going to take him to school? He’s coming with us.”’ (Good, 180). Howie and his mother were in British Columbia to visit his aunt and some officers saw him at his 6th birthday party, then he was taken to residential school because his mother was not trusted to bring him to school. Given these points, it is clear how stereotypes perpetuate negative social stigma and can lead to harmful thoughts about Indigenous people. My third point will show how internalised stereotypes lead to internalised inferiority and cultural disconnect. Negative thoughts and feelings about Indigenous culture were constantly perpetuated by residential school staff. “She taught Clara the unique way of skinning a rabbit, much like taking off a sweater, once the cuts were made on the extremities. Clara would get dizzy sometimes as she watched Mariah dress the rabbits, thinking