“Home is where the heart is” (Unknown). Meaning how homes are made of families and love. In the novle Walk Two Moons by Sharon Creech, Sal changes due to the settings, Bybanks, Kentucky, Euclid, Ohio, and Lewiston, Idaho. Bybanks is important to Sal because that is where her old home was. The author uses Sals thoughts to show how Bybanks is important to her, “...he did not bring the chestnut tree, the willow, the maple, the hay loft, or the swimming hole, which all belonged to me” (Creech 1).
Two Indigenous elements that are strongly present in the texts Dead White Writer On The Floor by Drew Hayden Taylor and Five Little Indians by Michelle Good are trauma and stereotypes. The first Indigenous concept that is present is trauma. The five main characters from Five Little Indians suffered trauma from the residential schools, as well as Fred from DWWOTF. In Five Little Indians, Kenny suffered from all kinds of abuse during his time in the residential school starting at the age of six. Even after Kenny escaped, he was still plagued by his experiences there.
Tracey Lindberg’s novel Birdie is narratively constructed in a contorting and poetic manner yet illustrates the seriousness of violence experience by Indigenous females. The novel is about a young Cree woman Bernice Meetoos (Birdie) recalling her devasting past and visionary journey to places she has lived and the search for home and family. Lindberg captures Bernice’s internal therapeutic journey to recover from childhood traumas of incest, sexual abuse, and social dysfunctions. She also presents Bernice’s self-determination to achieve a standard of good health and well-being. The narrative presents Bernice for the most part lying in bed and reflecting on her dark life in the form of dreams.
Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese and Sufferance by Thomas King are two novels that tell stories about the Indigenous experience in Canada. Both books deal with similar themes that are developed through the use of key literary elements such as the concept of trauma and its lasting effects on individuals and communities, Identity, Cultural Heritage, Healing, Racism, and Discrimination, both novels approach these themes in different ways. Firstly in both Indian Horse and Sufferance one of the main topics is identity and the theme of struggling with fitting in society. Both books explore the notion of what it means to be Indigenous in a settler colonial society.
North Dakota Road Trip The passage from The Horizontal World by Debra Marquart’s 2006 memoir is all about growing up in North Dakota and knowing the land around it. She is describing one of her memories when she was growing up in North Dakota. She relates to TV news anchors and really anyone who may know some of the geography of North Dakota such as the residents. Talks very highly of North Dakota’s geography and how great it is to live and grow up there, so she is trying to tell everyone why they should live there.
Within the narrative, the author shows the significance of preserving one's Indigenous heritage while simultaneously embracing the transformative power of change. These dynamics are brought to life, showcasing the challenges and conflicts in these relationships. In one scene, the characters express their exasperation, with one remarking, “‘He’s such a tool.’ ‘Yeah. There’s always one in the family.’”
In order to fit into the dominant Euro-Western society, Gladys rejects the notion of spirits, despite having the same abilities as Lisamarie. The cyclic nature of intergenerational trauma is reinforced by the fact that Lisamarie and her mother have the same gift. Their shared spiritual ability serves as a metaphor for the struggles faced by many Indigenous peoples in the face of intergenerational trauma. They must balance their
This play connects to the stereotypes that contemporary Indigenous women face
Indigenous voices and narratives have long been overlooked and marginalized in mainstream media while new and authentic Indigenous texts present a powerful means of representation and communication of Indigenous voices and culture. Indigenous Peoples in Canada have a rich cultural heritage with diverse languages and traditions. However, their experiences and perspectives are often misrepresented in Western media. Indigenous media, such as the documentary "Reel Indian," the poem "I lost my talk" by Rita Joe, and the novel "Lost in Space" by Drew Hayden Taylor, serve as crucial tools for representation, expression, and political and social commentary among Indigenous Peoples in Canada. These texts challenge misrepresentations, share cultural experiences, and break stereotypes.
The award winning novel Love Medicine by Louise Erdrich contains various viewpoints from Native Americans of the Chippewa tribe. Many of the stories in this book contain some sort of heartache or struggle due to an affair or some external source, but interestingly there is one relationship that is not strained in that way. Instead, it is the conflicting ideas of a mother-daughter relationship. Even though Zelda Kashpaw and her daughter Albertine Johnson at first seem to be a living dichotomy, they realize the need for each other. Zelda Kashpaw is a Chippewa and aligns herself to the traditions of her family and tribe, except for one major decision.
Motunrayo Animashaun Ms. Velovic NBE3U1g 8 May 2023 Rising From the Ashes: A Memoir About Breaking Intergenerational Barriers For centuries on end, the Indigenous have been put through an endless cycle of abuse, discrimination, and societal neglect. Jesse Thistle’s memoir, From the Ashes, is an encapsulating novel that highlights the troubles surrounding intergenerational trauma, and the significant impact that it has on an Indigenous man’s life, namely Jesse’s life itself. Throughout his life, Jesse undergoes a series of traumatic events such as, living in extreme poverty, suffering with the detrimental effects of substance abuse, and the gradual loss of his identity as a member of the Indigenous community. Although, the many challenges that
You tell me, and I won’t put it down on the form, No-one will know but you and me”. It’s obvious that the author, Thomas King, is trying to make awareness about the treatment of Aboriginals are facing in
Abortion Defense Author’s name Institution Affiliation ABORTION DEFENSE Abortion remains a contentious issue in the current society. Various arguments have been developed, either for or against abortion. Most of these arguments rely on the premise on whether a fetus is a human being from the moment of conception. Thompson (2003) presents a violinist fictional case whose moral relevance complements the permissibility of abortion in a moral society. The violinist example is as follows; a famous violinist has been diagnosed with a fatal kidney ailment, and it is discovered from medical records that only you has the blood characteristics that correspond to his.
Judith Ortiz Cofer’s work “The Changeling” depicts the exploits of a young girl “vying for her father’s attention” while her mother does not condone such behavior (2). The poem is told as a flashback, with the narrator recalling a memory from her childhood. It begins with the young girl describing a game she made so that her father would pay attention to her. Then she dresses up like a soldier and pretends to be a man as part of the game. Her mother disapproves of her dressing in that fashion and makes her change back into her regular clothes.
For Cheryl, she embraces her Metis culture and heritage. “‘I wish we were whole Indians’” (40). Throughout her time at school, Cheryl reads history books about Metis people and historical figures such as Louis Riel. She would also passionately write on what she thinks about the Metis people. At university, she writes a piece which points about the crucial effects white people have brought along in North America.
