Jyot Attal NBE3UR Cory Boucher 04 April 2023 The effects trauma has on one's resilience Resilience comes from getting out of traumatic experiences alive, and being able to look forward to greater things. This resilience can be seen in the main character in Richard Wagamese‘s book as he is able to survive the horrors of residential schools, and the sense of abandonment he has. Indian horse, by Richard Wagamese, demonstrates how the traumatic events Saul experiences cause him to gain resilience, resulting in healing himself from the tortures of the past. Saul shows resilience through finding a family, getting clean from alcohol, and sharing his story. Enduring the tortures of residential schools would deplete one’s trust in people, yet Saul …show more content…
It is also a way to escape from what one is feeling, which is the main reason why Saul starts to drink in the first place. Saul starts to drink to escape himself, as he realizes that “ someone you are not is often easier than living with a person you are” (Wagamese, 181). Saul continues to drink wherever he gets the opportunity as he is lost where he is physically and emotionally but he is “… too broke to get out of town, and too broke to care” (Wagamese, 182). He keeps on drinking until he ends up in Winnipeg having a seizure. In the hospital, he realizes that he needs to stop drinking. He understands that “ what [he needs] to survive, is killing [him]” (Wagamese, 189). Saul goes to a rehab center where he gets clean from alcohol, and starts healing himself and dealing with his underlying emotions. Saul being able to resist alcohol, and not relapsing is incredible considering that “ the percentage of people who will relapse after a period of recovery ranges from 50% to 90%” (Beating the Relapse Statistics -, 2022). Saul is able to stay successfully, clean, and beat the odds of relapsing. Going through a withdrawal, and dealing with terrors are a huge part of recovery for Saul, but he shows resilience and pushes through it, thus being able to stay
The novels To Kill A Mockingbird, by Harper Lee, and Indian Horse, by Richard Wagamese, both have a similar focus around 3 themes. The reader is enlightened on the concerns of abuse, 2ND POINT and racism. A different perspective of these themes is given in the two books and together they create a bigger picture that allows for a better understanding. Harper Lee gives a detached distant view while Richard Wagamese gives a very personal approach. Abuse was perhaps the issue that both novels centered around.
Dr. Bruce Perry began his book The Boy Who Was Raised as a Dog: And Other Stories from a Child Psychiatrist's Notebook – What Traumatized Children Can Teach Us About Loss, Love, and Healing with a statement about children and their resilience. Much like what we discussed in class, Dr. Perry touched on how children were thought to be naturally resilient and that they seemed to bounce back quickly. However, he continued with the statement that even the slightest bit of stress can impact an infant's development. Likewise, we discussed numerous things that can impact the welfare of children, such as attachment, education, and poverty.
Sovereignty, as described by Wilma Mankiller is “to have control over your own lands, and resources, and assets, and to have control over your own vision for the future, and to be able to absolutely determine your own destiny.”. In other words, sovereignty can refer to the inherent right of Indigenous peoples to self-governance, to make decisions about their own lands and resources, and to maintain their cultural and linguistic identities. This includes the right to self-determination and the ability to control their own destinies without interference from outside forces, including, but not limited to colonial powers. In the book Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, a young boy named Saul Indian Horse is taken from his family and forced to attend
The detrimental and unfair categorization of people by race, gender and more, commonly known as discrimination, affects many in society both mentally and emotionally. Many instances of this act of hatred occurred among Aboriginal and Native Canadians in the 20th century. However, for a little Native Indian boy stepping onto the rink, this is the norm that surrounds him. Saul Indian Horse, in Richard Wagamese’s “Indian Horse”, faces discrimination head on, where his strengths for hockey are limited by the racial discrimination from the surrounding white ethnicity. Consequently, this racism draws him into a mentally unstable state, where he suffers heavy consequences.
Author Richard Wagamese conveys a message in his novel Indian Horse displaying the idea of sacrifice. Specifically how people must sacrifice belonging for survival. Wagamese uses Saul 's experiences, choices and general story to express this message. Throughout Saul’s life he is forced to make sacrifices for himself and the people around him in order to survive, his isolation is what gets him through. Everyday people see the reproductions of community and how surviving isn 't an easy thing.
Saul shows how the traumatic events he has gone through haunt his way of life and limit his chance to grow and overcome his trauma. These unfortunate events have plagued Saul, leading him down a terrible road of intoxication, depression, and violence. These traumatic experiences have ultimately changed Saul and forced him to view culture and uniqueness negatively. Therefore, Saul's horrible experiences have impacted him and limited his ability to mature and overcome the suffering he has endured from Father Leboutilier and others within the residential school system. Residential schools have harmed Indigenous culture and ways of life; they forcefully changed behaviours and had long-term negative consequences on Indigenous communities and individuals
“Bruises fade, but the pain lasts forever” (Christina Kelly). This compelling quote depicts the horrifying side effects of abuse. In the gripping novel titled “Indian Horse,” author Richard Wagamese successfully informs readers about the severely unfair conditions in which the Native Indians were treated. Through Saul’s terrifying experiences in the Residential school and hockey tournaments, readers can effectively identify the purpose of the novel – treating someone through any kind of abuse can leave them with long lasting pain, and memories that will haunt them forever. There were numerous incidents at the residential school regarding physical abuse, and after effects that followed.
Throughout my whole life, my father has been an alcoholic. There have been times when he has tried to quit, but it never lasted for more than a few months. His addiction has brought on stressful times for my family. Some days we did not know where he was or if he was coming home. Although my father’s addiction might not have made the best childhood, he did show me the kind of person I did not want to be.
It should also trigger assessment of revictimization” (Cotter 1). This is more evidence supporting again how childhood trauma cause mental health problems when the person gets into adulthood, but also says that it can lead to
It is indicated that he already convinced himself, and was trying to convince others that alcoholism is just a foolish habit and he can stop it anytime he wished. The analysis of those around him, the places he visits, how he relates with his family members and the people at work brought out facts about his real life. This convinced him to attend the AA program. His brothers had also given up on him, and they did not care about him so long as he was employed and was not causing trouble at home. After and involvement with the researchers of the AA program, the brothers accepted that alcoholism is a disease, and that their brother needed
Alcoholics are often used in stories as comic relief, which to a person who grew up under the shadow of alcoholism, isn’t very funny at all. This point was to illustrate that people really don’t understand alcoholism for what it really is: a disease that has devastating effects on families for generations. Instead of directly countering those misconceptions, Sanders describes his upbringing in vivid detail. He describes his father’s behavior in a way that makes the reader appreciate that there comes a point where alcoholism is not really a matter of a person having a moral weakness, a lack of self-control, or is weak-willed. It’s a disease that robs people of their lives and of themselves.
Initially, when Saul starts playing with his hockey reserve team, he experiences his first encounter with racism. While Saul is enjoying the game, he is suddenly kicked out of the team and remarks to Mr. Leboutiller the reason behind this is “‘because I am an Indian, isn’t it’ ‘yes’, he said” (Wagamese 91). At this moment, Saul is a victim of exclusion at a young age and recognises; not only in the residential school are Indians victims of discrimination due their appearance, culture and differences, but also outside of the residential school. Through his first encounter with exclusion, he slowly notices the segregation that surrounds him resulting in mental abuse because he becomes very cautious. After Saul leaves the residential school to live with the Kelly’s, he begins to play with the Moose.
People encounter many obstacles in their lifetimes, obstacles that are too arduous to overcome by themselves. They must find a way to get through these difficulties, and there is always something, or someone, that helps keep them sane through these hard hours. To Saul Indian Horse, the main character of Richard Wagamese’s novel Indian Horse, that obstacle is St. Jerome’s Residential School and the very element that kept him sane was hockey. In the residential school, Saul is abused both mentally and physically, witnessing the continued deaths of his Indian classmates. Fortunately, Saul was able to keep himself sane through hockey.
The Importance of Resilience: It Encourages Healing, Defiance, and Builds Strong Character Everyone has their way of coping with trauma. In Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul plays hockey to cope with his traumatic experiences. Furthermore, in the book, strangers take a young Ojibway boy from the arms of his deceased grandmother and force him into St. Jerome's Indian Residential School in White River. At the school, Saul is subject to physical and emotional abuse.
Historically, cultural genocide has been a prominent theme in society, particularly in Indigenous cultures. This is true in Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese. Cultural genocide is driven by hatred for Indigenous culture and ways of life. Furthermore, cultural genocide occurs through residential schools and the treatment of Indigenous children. Moreover, residential schools cause a lasting effect on survivors and their relationship with their culture.