Grief In Richard Wagamese's Indian Horse

The passage from Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse is Saul narrating to the reader while he is at The New Dawn Center, about to tell his story for the first time. Unable to share his story in a therapy group, he begins writing and reveals the theme while foreshadowing later events. While explaining his gift of sight, Saul uses imagery and connotation to establish the theme of how residential schools caused tremendous loss for Indigenous people. Saul’s imagery, when he says, “I have been lifted up and out of this physical world into a place where time and space have a different rhythm.” creates a sense of separation. The imagery of being “lifted up and out of this physical world” demonstrates how Saul becomes separated from reality in times of hardship.

Everyone has a different way to deal with overwhelming situations. It can be more difficult for people with mental illness to cope with the hardships of life. For instance, in “Horses of the Night,” the character of Chris has dissociative symptoms that can be linked to his depression. Margaret Laurence’s short story tells the story of Chris, a young teenager who moves to from a small farm to the town of Manawaka in order to go to high school. The story is told by his younger cousin, Vanessa. As she grows up, she learns that Chris is depressed. The author uses the theme of fantasy to show that he does not cope well with reality. The horses, Shallow Creek, and the children are symbols that show us the fantasy that Chris lives in.

Saul becomes scarred in many manners when attending an Indian residential school in his early years, which becomes apparent later in his life. Firstly, Saul’s emotional distress is shown when he seeks an escape from remembering

As history tells, the damage caused by Indigenous residential schools not only causes deep trauma but has also led many survivors to attempt to suppress their pain through many different unhealthy forms of coping, most specifically, alcoholism. Richard Wagamese’s novel “Indian Horse” follows the events of a young indigenous man, Saul Indian Horse, and his life before, during, and after being forced to attend St. Jerome Indian Residential School, as well as the various life experiences and challenges he faces as a young Indigenous man in Canada during the 1950s and 60s. Discussing the trauma, coping, and healing process that Saul goes through, Wagamese’s novel is primarily about the significance of trauma caused to Indigenous people during this time and the everlasting effect that such trauma has caused, leading many survivors

Thousands of First Nations children were kidnapped and imprisoned in residential schools during the 1960s. These children were then forced to renounce anything in relation to their traditional lives, such as their native tongue. These objectives were often achieved in a barbaric and inhumane manner. Richard Wagamese’s “Indian Horse” recounts the fictional story of Saul Indian Horse’s struggle through residential school along with the residual effects on his adult life. Within the novel, Wagamese highlights how one’s traumatic past can have tremendous physical and mental effects, especially in the absence of support.

Children had to endure many terrible and horrific things while attending a residential school. They endured physical, mental and sexual related trauma. Many of these things happened to Saul (the books protagonist) while attending St. Jerome's (the residential school). Saul had to deal with being sexually assaulted by a character named Father Leboutilier numerous times. It’s a big part of the book because it shows how the kids would not accept reality, they would rather doubt or never accept they were assaulted much like Saul never admitted that it happened till much later in life (Wagamese 199). In addition, it’s important for others to read about what happened to Saul because it shows that even the nicest people can be someone

This paper can analyze the context within which the work of art, "Death on the Pale Horse" was created. The discussion also will determine the medium that the creator selected still as highlight a number of the additional fascinating aspects of this Benjamin West painting.

In All the Pretty Horses, Cormac McCarthy tells the tale of John Grady Cole’s quest to capture the ideal qualities of a cowboy as he sees them: laid-back, unfettered, nomadic and carefree attitudes. These qualities soon clash, however, with the reality of darkness, suffering and mystery that seems to follow him. Reality constantly subverts his ideal dream. Time and time again, John Grady Cole works to be this fantasy, but through reality’s constant rejection of his fantasy, he lives the dream.

Every human to exists on earth experiences a moment in their life when they have felt immense despair, sorrow, or hopelessness. Whether it is from bereavement, depression, abuse, or trauma, the bitter feelings accompanied by those instances can quickly take over one’s life and suddenly, one becomes buried in dark emotions. At that moment, all the joy and happiness from previous instances in life diminishes, and suddenly the world seems dim. In the book, Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul Indian Horse experiences similar emotions since the time he was captured by the white Canadian men and taken to St. Jerome’s Residential School. From the appalling abuse as a child to the ruthless racism as a young adult, Saul’s majestic Ojibway life that

Father Leboutillier plays an important role in the book, Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese. He is seen as Saul’s ally and father figure during his time at the residential school. Father Leboutillier allowed Saul to play hockey with the older boys, gave him books to read about hockey, let him watch his television, and defended him when the nuns were too hard on him. Saul saw Father Leboutillier as his friend and protector, as did the readers. However it is not discovered until later in the book that all of these courtesies given to Saul from Father Leboutillier come with a price.

Symbols are often a way to connect the reader to the general theme of a novel, the book Indian Horse is a story of a young Indigenous boy named Saul Indian Horse and all the troubles he went through growing up. Richard Wagamese the author uses symbols like hockey, family and friendship and culture to reinforce a major theme that love can never be broken. The most important symbol in the book is the game of hockey and Saul’s never-ending love for it. While Saul was forced to attend a residential school called St. Jerome’s, he discovered that he is a naturally gifted hockey player.

Indian horse by Richard Wagamese allowed me to open my eyes on the issues of Aboriginal people dealing with all the horrible pains and abusive trauma from the residential school. Before reading this book, I felt like I was educated well enough to understand how much aboriginal people suffered through generations and how much they have lost compared to what they had before. However, after reading this book I was able to see through First nation’s perspective and realized it's not just knowing about what aboriginal people have been through throughout the history. In this novel, the author allowed me to see Saul’s life transitioning ,where in the beginning saul was living the indigenous way of life with his family, but eventually forced to be

Identities can be ripped away from people, but love can help people to regain it and realise who they truly are. In Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse the native children’s identities are taken from them, and not all of them find it again. Saul’s own identity as an Ojibway is taken by the residential school and the impact of unfavourable circumstances; but with the love and support of his family and friends, he finds it again. The residential school and other negative influences cause Saul to lose his identity, which is the offset for his quest to regain it with help from his friends and family.

Indian Horse, a novel by Richard Wagamese, is a realistic and tragic story of a First Nations child named Saul who is taken to residential school. Saul Indian Horse goes through a multitude traumatic experiences at a young age; experiences consisting of losing his family, experiencing sexual abuse, and violent racism. In the novel, a theme the reader is always brought back to is Saul’s connection to, and longing for the land. Saul’s relationship with the land is meaningful to his character because it helps him understand his family history, connects him with his culture, and comforts him in times of need.

When they do, they will find Saul and we will lose them both.” (Wagamese 17). Out of many important things Naomi also taught Saul how to hunt and harvest rice through efficient techniques so that they can learn how to make food. Also, in her last days she took great care of Saul even after his parents abandon them. She made all the arrangements to move from Gods lake to Minaki because if they stayed there they would have died from hunger and cold. During the entire journey, she had ensured that Saul should remain warm even though she had to sacrifice, like in the novel Saul questioned her what about you and she made a gesture that we have to keep moving. These all things showed how important was Saul to her which made her to risk her own life to save him that’s why when Father Leboutilier hugged Saul he felt loved and made him think of Naomi, who he still misses immensely.