Essay about Indian Horse

The novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese is a story about a boy named Saul who deals with the trials and tribulations of being Native American in Canada during the time where Residential Schools were still very prevalent. The book follows Saul from barely a child to an adult and reveals how the trauma of sexual, emotional, and physical abuse affects him as an adult. Saul finds solace in hockey, but it’s spoiled by competitiveness and aggression coupled with racial slurs and stereotypes. Indian Horse is important to read because of its ability to put you in the shoes of a residential school survivor as well as teach you about the hardships of Indigenous people, which helps you empathize with people of the culture, and learn important lessons,

“At St. Jerome’s we work to remove the Indian in our children so that the blessings of the Lord may be evidenced upon them” (Wagamese 46). These words provide the exact mindset the white people had toward the Indians. In the novel Indian Horse written by Richard Wagamese, the protagonist Saul grows up and is accustomed to the period of time where there is a pro - white bias. A bias so strong that the racism becomes institutionalized. This bias in all its forms and degrees crushes Saul’s spirit and turns what could have been a terrific athletic career to years of fighting, searching and drinking. Through the definite racism of his taking, the sexual and verbal abuse he receives from high religious figures, as well as the hierarchy created within the National Hockey League it is clear Saul believes his people are inferior to the whites which, in tail, develops the racism and prejudice central theme in the novel.

The decimation of a Community is an important aspect of how stability and control are lost in both Chinua Achebe’s Things Fall Apart (1958) and Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse (2012). In these culturally unique texts, both protagonists experience the transition from being a part of a community to being unwillingly pushed away from it and seeing it slowly being destroyed. The result of both protagonists being forced out of their beloved communities causes them to go down a spiral path thereby losing control and stability in their lives. The progression in which stability and control are possessed and then lost in both novels forces the characters to adapt to the changes at hand.

Despite Saul's efforts at using the newly introduced sport of hockey to drive away his loneliness, he is victimized within the sport and is left traumatized. While playing the game, Saul remarks that “I knew that loneliness would be dispelled by the sheen of the rink in the sunlight, the

Saul grew up in residential schools. Where he was only around adults who treated him like an animal just because of his race. They wanted to destroy who Saul was and leave him as an empty shell. Not only did he face racism as a child but, as a teen playing hockey he possibly faced the worst racism of his life. To explain, not only did his fans act as ruthless racists but, the opposing teams and even his own team. Second, Saul faced severe alcoholism as an adult. He first experienced alcoholism through his parents, who were consumed by the drink. This undoubtedly impacted Saul’s decisions later in life. He began his life as an alcoholic to help fill his empty feeling inside, filled only with anger. As a final point, racism and alcoholism are the most prominent components in shaping Aboriginal

These words foreshadowed how hockey would soon become the greatest part of Saul’s life. He says the Father’s “passion for the game is contagious” (Wagamese 57) which unbeknown to him at the time was that passion was one he would inherit. Aside from providing Saul with the resources and opportunities needed for success in hockey, the father went above and beyond to ensure his success in life. This relates to indigenous scholar Niigaan Sinclair’s talk at Mount Allison, Father Leboutilier gave the greatest gift one can give to Saul, his time. Because of the Father’s teachings and support, hockey became the one thing that helped the boy leave the residential school and move towards a better

There are still many Canadians out there who don’t know much about residential school. All Canadians should learn more about our past and the many terrible things that occurred to First Nations people while in residential schools, and even out of the schools. For many years First Nation Children were taken away from their family and sent to residential schools, which were run by religious institutions. The school’s main goals were to get rid of the Indian in a child, and they would strip them naked of who they were and where they came from. The book Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese gives us a clear insight into all the hard times that a child might have to go through while in a residential school. The book also shows what their lives would

The ferghana horses were a lot better than any other horses and here is why they were a lot better These horses were used for trading and a lot more

Saul was taken to “St. Jeromes Residential School” at around the age of 7. He claims that when he arrived “a pair of nuns scrubbed [him] with stiff-bristled brushes” (p.44) and that “it felt as though they were trying to remove [his] skin” (p.44). Richard Wagamese provides grisly images of innocent young children committing suicide. Saul claims that he saw “a young boy impaled on the tines of a pitchfork that he’d shoved through himself” (p.55) and witnessed “wrists slashed and the cascade of blood on the bathroom floor” (p.55). Students will see how abhorrent the events that occurred at Residential Schools were if this book is taught. This will shed light to past events so that history may not repeat

For the very first time that [he] could remember, [he] couldn’t find the vision. [He] couldn’t seem to read the play and [he] felt hopeless. [He] felt like a loser’ (142). Saul continuously proves his worthiness to play hockey and does it for the sole purpose of amusement; however, a recent major part of the game changes to retaliation and seeking revenge through bitter fights, his vision is altered by the shocking and traumatic discrimination he faces, and takes away his feeling of joy and happiness he used to feel. As the story progresses, Saul proceeds to play in higher skilled teams, such as the Marlboros, who isolate him due to his ethnicity which only constantly reminds him that he is an Indian. For instance, Saul feels “bitter. [He] wanted the game to lift me up. To make the world disappear as it always had. But as a Marlboro, [he] could never shake being the Indian. So [he] became a puck hog. Instead of making passes to [his]open teammates, [he] skated and whirled until [he] could make the shot [himself] (164)”. Saul’s sportsmanship gradually decreases from the first time he plays hockey due to his teammates who widely unwelcome him because of the colour of his skin, to the extent where he loses the joy and the satisfaction that hockey used to give

For Saul Indian Horse, hockey is both a closed game and a means to salvation. Hockey is where Saul Indian Horse finds salvation, but what does he need salvation from? His early years are extremely difficult because he is deserted by his family and the grandmother who takes him in passes away. That would be bad enough for anyone but the worst problem is the residential school he is forced to attend. The students of the school are abused mentally,physically and sexually..

In Indian Horse, Saul ascertains himself as he lives his life following his cultures traditions. His parents went to residential school and lost their connection with their culture, and now they spend their days getting drunk. Saul was affected by this as he wasn’t able to connect with them. If not for his grandmother he wouldn’t have the knowledge he has about his culture. When he was taken to residential school he was separated from his family and culture, he was forced to leave his identity and change. Residential schools were meant to erase the “inhuman” culture of Indigenous people, they were taught that their life was disgraceful. Time over time the Indigenous kids were abused and were forced to change. The continues abuse and torment would sooner or later break the children mentally and physically, giving them no choice but to forget. Saul explains what his people go through as he says, “When your innocence is stripped from you, when your people are degraded, when the family you come from is denounced and your tribal ways and rituals are pronounced backward, primitive, savage, you come to see yourself as less than human,” ( Wagamese 81). Saul went through this experience and came to forget his identity and although he left the school that experience will haunt him for the rest of his

In Richard Wagamese's Indian Horse, the main character, Saul, experiences certain traumas that would normally launch him straight into adulthood. Instead, Wagamese shows the transition from the innocence of childhood to adulthood and how Saul is able to come to terms with his past by using certain motifs and symbols such as his vision, hockey, alcohol and circles.

This quote explains the impact that the loss of Saul’s parents has had on him, and that Saul is aware of the dangers of the drink can have. Furthermore, this quote explains how Saul has fallen in love with the game and how easily it has taken over his life and is now his escape from the horrors of St. Jerome’s residential school. The quote compares what the drink might have done to Saul’s parents to what hockey has done for

Throughout this tournament in Espanola, the Moose are introduced to a scout from Toronto, by the name of Jack Lanahan, who gives Saul an invitation to the Marlboros, an NHL team. Saul agrees with the invitation, and heads down to Toronto to join the Marlies. During his time there, he enrolls in the rookie training camp, where he starts scrimmages with the other rookies. However, “Once the scrimmages began, none of the other players would call me or send the puck my way. They weren’t tough or violent. They just ignored me. I skated around the perimeter of the play like I didn’t exist” (159). Prejudice towards Saul appears in the form of disregard in the rookie camp; all the other rookies turn a blind eye to him, leaving his competency of the