After reading Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, I believe that it's apparent that in this hauntingly beautiful novel, Richard Wagamese takes readers on a heart-wrenching journey through the life of Saul Indian Horse, a young Ojibway boy. Unfolding in northern Ontario, Saul is set against racism, cultural alienation, and displacement. The novel weaves together themes of trauma, resilience, and the enduring power of cultural identity. The story starts off with us learning about Saul and his camp, and how he got the Indian horse name from his great-grandfather Shabogeesick. After his brother Benjamin escapes from a residential school, returns to the family, and passes away, Saul is left at camp with his grandmother as the adults leave to give …show more content…
His deep understanding of Indigenous culture and history infuses every page, allowing readers to glimpse the world through Saul's eyes. Toward the end of the novel, Saul Indian Horse remembers a traumatic experience that he had repressed for many years. As a child, his beloved mentor at St. Jerome’s, Father Gaston Leboutillier, sexually abused him. This jarring realization cements trauma as one of the key themes of the book. Saul’s journey involves confronting this painful past and seeking healing. The novel introduces Saul as a patient at the New Dawn Centre, an alcohol treatment center run by other members of the Fish Clan. Saul’s struggle with addiction has become a central part of his life, and the New Dawn Centre represents a chance for redemption and renewal. The time he spent at the centre was the longest he went without a drink for years, and they tell him “If we want to live at peace with ourselves, we need to tell our stories”. He talks about how there is so much to sort out and sift through so he can’t tell it in the circle so he puts it into writing. The center became a place where Saul could begin to free himself from his past. It started with his addiction, and then it was his story. Nearing the end of the book in chapter 52, Saul returns to the New Dawn Centre, after seeing his family in a vision while he was at Gods Lake