Saul Indian Horse once stated “I was at the bottom of that well for a long time. Coming back up to daylight hurt like a son of a bitch” (Wagamese 189). In the novel Indian Horse written by Richard Wagamese and the short story Stolen Words written by Melanie Florence, the relationship between the protagonist and their community is highly valued. Indigenous people often build relationships within their community, allowing them to find self-acceptance and develop as individuals. The protagonist in the novel Indian Horse, Saul, manages to succeed in self-development by connecting with his peers including family, friends, and hockey teammates. In the short story Stolen Words, the two main characters connect, allowing one of them to reclaim their …show more content…
First, in the novel Indian Horse, the main character, Saul, forms relationships with his community allowing guidance and support after his time at a residential school called St. Jerome. Saul discovers people who treat him well while directing him through the challenge of dealing with the remaining trauma experienced at St. Jerome. Saul is introduced to a family who refers to them as the Kelly family; they consider him part of their community. Saul makes use of their relationship to cope with the struggles of enduring trauma and develop as a person. Fred Kelly states “We all wanted to go out and find you, but we know we couldn’t. We knew you’d have to find your way” (Wagamese, p. 210). In this passage, it’s articulated that the Kelly family encourages Saul to find his path and become his person. Even though the Kelly’s wanted to help Saul on his journey of healing, they knew deep down Saul would have to find his path alone. …show more content…
A grandfather (nimosom) explains to his granddaughter (nosism) that his mother tongue was taken from him by nuns and priests at a residential school. The granddaughter helped her grandfather rediscover his native speech through communication and guidance. A dialogue between the two states ‘You take this Grandpa, she said. Maybe it will help you find your words again’ (Florence, p. 7). After the granddaughter comes to realize her grandfather had his native language stripped from him, she decides to help him rediscover it. The grandfather regains his native language through communication and teaching from his granddaughter, a specific passage states “The words felt familiar in his mouth. It felt like his home. His mother” (Florence 10). The grandfather was proficient in reclaiming his mother tongue through his relationship with his granddaughter, enabling him to feel a connection with his culture and