Indian Horse Thesis

Miriam Ruhland NBE 3U Ms. Darby Conning 9 May 2023 Literary Essay Moral Injury from Trauma in Indian Horse The Novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese is a horrific narrative about Saul Indian Horse, an Indigenous boy. The book focuses on his childhood trauma, grossly induced by the residential school he attended, and how he was able to cope. By telling Saul’s story, Wagamese displays the effect of trauma on one’s motivation to live a moral life.

Indian Horse In the book Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul gains relationships through community. The Kellys provide Saul a place to call his home and they create a bond beyond just the billet family. Secondly, The land around Saul gives him a sense of family, the land is full of life to encourage Saul to not give up and he's not alone. Lastly, hockey offers Saul love and a feeling of worthiness that he is lacking while being at St. Jerome's Indian Residential School.

As socialization's effects are inevitable, we are constantly influenced by groups. However, regardless of the groups we are influenced by, the one concept that is absolute is our reliance on the sense of togetherness that seldom dissolves. The concept is explored in the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese and the short story "Borders" by Thomas King, both of which emphasize characters who have been influenced by cultural assimilation. Indian Horse is a journey of Saul Indian Horse, a young Indigenous child who lost their family due to assimilation and was forced to attend a residential school. “Borders” is a journey of a Blackfoot mother who desires to visit her daughter in Salt Lake City, separated from her Blackfoot background; both emphasizing

Characters are the backbone of a story that portray various themes which the novel Indian Horse sheds light on. The author, Richard Wagamese, communicates important ideas about family and tradition, and abuse and trauma through the stories of Naomi, Sister Ignacia, Virgil, and Father Gaston LeBoutillier. Fred Kelly and Naomi embody the themes of family and tradition to the protagonist, Saul Indian Horse, assisting him in navigating his identity as an Indigenous person in a world that attempts to obliterate his culture. Naomi is chosen to represent the theme of family and tradition since grandmothers are the ones who instill family and traditional values in their grandchildren in Ojibway culture. She has a strong sense of pride and devotion

(Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese). This quote also demonstrates Saul's growing awareness of his identity and the strength he draws from it, despite the trauma he has experienced. It shows his resilience in the face of adversity and his ability to find strength in his culture and heritage. The theme of resilience is explored throughout the novel, as in the ways in which Indigenous people have survived centuries of colonial policies and cultural genocide. Through their connection to their communities and their traditions, Indigenous people have found strength and perseverance in the face of trauma and adversity.

Through the Medicine Wheel, we are reminded of our lifelong journey that is continuous upon birth and living through youth, adulthood and senior years. In Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse, the protagonist Saul experiences many obstacles which shape and develop his character. Saul’s life can be divided into more than the four stages of life to better understand his journey. Saul’s Life with His Family The time Saul was able to spend with his family was very short due to the effects of the white men.

Racism and abuse is like an evil shadow that never stops following an individual throughout their life. A person who experiences this evil shadow is Saul Indian Horse, where the oppression, racism and abuse have followed him throughout his life along with the circumstances he faces. Indian Horse, published in 2012, depicts the hardships in the life of Saul Indian Horse resulting in struggling with prejudice, generational trauma and oppression. In Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse, the hardships, obstacles and devastating struggles Saul has to face at St. Jerome’s plays a significant role throughout the novel. Saul’s experiences with oppression and trauma in playing hockey result in detrimental impacts on his life, suffering through intergenerational

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.

The story “Indian Horse” by Richard Wagamese has a huge connection to nature. The storyteller ‘Saul Indian Horse’, is Ojibway and a big part of his culture is nature. His family, which consisted of his mother, father, brother, and grandmother, were very close and connected to each other. They all lived together at God’s Lake and had a huge connection with the land. Even just 2 chapters into the book, we see the connection Saul's family has with nature and their land, especially his grandmother.

Racism has been present in society since forever, maybe even the very first day that two men of different races met. Racism is defined as “the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, especially so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races.” Usually racism is a belief that a person with a certain race has better abilities,  attributes and skills. If this belief is to distinguish as superior it can have tragic events occurring between two types of groups. An example of two types of groups that have separated into an image of rivalries fueled with competition are the ‘Whites’ and the ‘Indians’, as shown in the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, where the devastating effects of racism and discrimination are evident in the protagonist Saul Indian Horse, for his spirit is nearly broken all together by them, most notable in how he was forced to live in a cruel Residential school, he endured taunting in the hockey world, and bullying in the work force, affecting a lifelong struggle with severe depression and alcoholism.

Exploring Trauma and Reconciliation in ‘Traplines’ and ‘Indian Horse’: A comparative Analysis of Literary Elements and Themes Have you ever wondered how two seemingly different pieces of literature can share similar themes? Well, in my analysis of “Traplines” and “Indian Horse,” we will explore just that. Concerning the short story, “Traplines” and the novel, “Indian Horse,” both have many literary elements that can be interpreted by readers, such as myself, differently, leading to several similarities of themes to be formed between the two. Regarding the short story, “Traplines” by Thomas King, it illustrates the relationship between a father and son, which is seen as distant and disconnected as a result of change, childhood experiences, and

Saul and Chayla: Transformative Journeys In the world of Indigenous literature, various narratives explore the transformative power of cultural traditions on individuals' lives. Richard Wagamese's Indian Horse and Chayla Delorme Maracle's story "The Sun Dance Changed My Life" delve into the lives of characters who undergo profound changes through their engagement with Indigenous cultural practices. Through examining the experiences of Saul in "Indian Horse" and Chayla Delorme Maracle in "The Sun Dance Changed My Life" as well as their motivations, struggles, and the impact of their respective journeys, the author highlights the transformative power of Indigenous culture. Furthermore, in certain ways, such as striving for a sense of belonging,

Indian Horse: The Racism that destroys, but creates Saul Hockey is a national sport that unites one another. From the Montreal Canadiens to the Vancouver Canucks, children and adults find excitement in the game. In the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul Indian Horse encounters racism in his hockey career and with society. Saul attempts to bear the stereotypes set on him, which destroys him and thus, Saul struggles in attempt to reconcile mentally, physically and spiritually.