Overcoming Adversity In Saul Indian Horse

Segregation had had many effects on the black nation, to the point that it started building up ones character, “See the depressing clouds of inferiority begin to form in her little mental sky and see her begin to distort her little personality by unconsciously developing a bitterness towards white people”, King shows readers that segregation is even affecting little children, that it is starting to build up a young girls character and is contributing to the child developing hatred “bitterness” towards the white Americans. King makes readers imagine a black cloud settling in a young girls brain mentally, when instead she should have an image of a colorful blue sky with a rainbow, isn’t that suppose to be part of a 6 year-old’s imagination? King gives readers an image of destruction civil disobedience had created in the black community, especially in the young innocent little children.

“Adversity is like a strong wind. It tears away from us all but the things that cannot be torn, so that we see ourselves as we really are.” Adversity implies difficulties, trouble and misfortune as it tests the potential of man and strengthens his spirit of self confidence. In the novel Indian Horse written by Richard Wagamese there are many circumstances where the main character Saul is forced to overcome the adversity in which once shattered his human spirit and made him feel worthless. The ideas of adversity such as being beaten at residential schools and the racism he faced while playing hockey, demonstrates Saul’s constant inner struggle and his desire to become a

3. The thematic transition in the seventh grade segment occurs when he kisses the white girl, and almost as if he betrays his tribe, is sent away to a farm town. Through the seventh grade transition, the theme transcends from social outcast and discrimination to somewhat unconscious discrimination but social acceptance. Prior to the seventh grade segment, he is explicitly mistreated and bullied, alienated from society. After the seventh grade though, at the farm town, he doesn’t display any direct discrimination, everything he relates and portrays as discrimination is completely indirect and taken as such.

“When your people are degenerated, when the family you came from is denounced and your tribal ways and rituals are pronounced backwards, primitive, savage, you come to see yourself as less than human. That is hell on earth, that sense of unworthiness. That’s what they [the residential school] inflicted on us.”(Wagamese, 81) is the heart-wrenching way Saul expresses this. By making the children feel this way, they are making them question and doubt their Native identity, which is the first step, to losing it completely. Secondly, Saul starts to conform to the way people expect him to be and loses who he actually is. This goes on until it gets even in the way of Saul playing hockey. When his coach confronts him about it, all Saul can say is “‘Hey, I’m just giving them what they want.’ ‘Who?’ [the coach asks] ‘The crowd, the team. Don’t you read the papers? I’m the rampaging redskin.’”(165) Showing how Saul seems to have accepted his fate as a stereotypical Indian and player; forgetting the thoughtful and insightful person he used to be. Finally, towards the end of

One of the main obstacles Junior overcomes is stereotypes. Junior is an Indian who lives on a reservation. Indians have many stereotypes that are towards them. For instance one stereotype is that they have no hope. Junior had a conversation with one of his teachers about his future, which involved him switching schools. Junior knew that if he stayed at the reservation high school he won’t be able to make a future for himself. So when his parents got home he asked them who has the most hope, “’White people, (Alexie45)’” his parents told him at the same time. Even

Education —an institution for success, opportunity, and progress — is itself steeped in racism. In Sherman Alexie’s short story “Indian Education” from his book The Longer Ranger and Tonto Fistfight in Heaven is set in two places, the Spokane Indian Reservation and a farm town nearby the reservation. The story is written in a list of formative events chronologize Victor’s youth by depicting the most potent moment from each year he is in school. Alexie addresses the issue of racism in education by examining examples of injustice and discrimination over twelve years in a boy’s life. Victor faces his initial injustice in first grade when he is bullied by bigger kids, but his understanding of injustice becomes much more complex in grades two through twelve as he experiences discrimination against his American Indian identity. Familial experiences of a Native woman, Alexie’s style and humor, and Victor’s awareness of discrimination from grade one to twelve all reveal the grim reality of growing up and being schooled on an American Indian reservation.

Young Indigenous children from all over Canada were snatched from their homes, taken from their families, and placed in residential schools that would ruin these children and bring out the feeling of pain that would last their entire life. In Richard Wagamese novel Indian horse, Saul Indian Horse, one of the many victims of the sixties scoop was taken as a young boy, where he was abused mentally, physically and emotionally at St. Jerome's residential school. This school would inflict pain that would last forever and has a terrible aftermath on his life that puts him in a long and difficult healing process he endured to turn his life around from the distractions he used to hide from the pain. Richard Wagamese tells the story of Indian Horse through the eyes of Saul Indian Horse to demonstrate the feelings he endures during the story for the readers better understanding of the character.

The spontaneity and the unpredictable nature of human life makes the sustainability of human livelihood a challenging task. In the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, Saul detaches himself from others and experiences racism as well as isolation from his friends and teammates while playing hockey. These traumatic experiences cause him tremendous amounts of emotional pain, making it impossible for him to keep a job and compels him to become an alcoholic.

We saw prejudice and discrimination throughout the book. For example, when Lafayette’s was charged with a crime due to hi, been associated with who did it. When LaJoe lost her benefits from the state due to her on and off husband using her home address and when collecting unemployment benefits which LaJoe did not claim as income coming into the home. In both instances, the Rivers were treated as if they were liars and criminals. Because of Lafayette being from the inner city, there was this predetermine thought about any youth that lived in the inner city from the court system. LaJoe was treated with disrespect by the welfare office because of the prejudgment they had formed about people that lived in the inner city. Due to the location in which they stayed, the importance of healthy living condition was not a priority to the city. They were forced to live in the vicinity of garbage, broken sewer systems, dead animals, etc. Also, the children were forced to either stay in their apartments or play on the railroad tracks because the city had only a few areas for them to play. These areas had become run down and it was unsafe for kids to play in. It is unsure why the was such neglect for those areas of the inner city, but one could only think that it had to do with how this race has been treated for years.

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.

Nobody will go through life smoothly. Every person will have to handle some issues and deal with all different types of conflict. The protagonist, Saul Indian Horse from the novel Indian Horse written by Richard Wagamese and Clarissa (Clary) Fray from The Mortal Instruments: City of Bones written by Cassandra Claire are defiantly no exception. Yes, they are both strong and highly independent characters, but they were not always this way. Saul was a normal child and so was Clary. They both grew up in a happy home and no apparent issues. That is, until they both find out that there are other things going on in the world that involve them. Saul discovers that Indians are not the most respected people and that his life is going to change and become more difficult. Clary realizes that she is not exactly who she always though she was and that her life will also change. It is because of these changes, that most of the conflicts exist and make them progress as characters throughout the books. Saul and Clary grow to be stronger because of these conflicts that they face such as losing family, being lied to and betrayed by trusted elders, and by fighting against their own memories.

Adversity can be seen in many different ways. Some people look at adversity as a learning experience, while others view adversity as a situation marked with misfortune. When a person is faced with adversity, rather than viewing it as something to hate, they should see it as a opportunity to grow. In the stories by Doris Lessing, W.D Wetherell and Alice Walker, they all show different types of challenges each character had to over come and their journey to do so. These stories all shared similar outcomes, they demonstrate how each character used an obstacle they were faced with, and turned it into a beneficial experience and how it shaped them into the person they are today.

The ideas and or themes that stood out to me from this article was the fact this young girl had to face such discrimination at such a young age. At the tender age of 7 in the second grade she was subjected to name calling for example being called the N word, spic and the Mexican jumping bean. She also had to endure her hair being pulled, being spat and on being called to the president for incidents. I feel as if someone at such a young shouldn’t be exposed to such behavior. Another theme or main idea that stood out to me from this reading was one the author brought up herself what if she had been taught by a teacher who had looked like her, spoke like her and understood her. Henceforth would her grades be better or would she have asked more

Gregory's recount of events provides the reader with an insight into a child's mind in the face of differing social, economical and racial differences; such as overt discrimination towards ability, economic status, racial stereotyping and social standing, as described in his recount of his treatment in the classroom and daily life, where he was singled out and excluded due to ethnicity and socioeconomic status; this was particularly apparent in the actions and statements of the teacher; including the following.

Through the narrative, the author has expounded on how racial tensions can separate people who share salient aspects of life. For instance, Roberta discriminates Twyla because of her race even if they shared similar life experiences at the orphanage. Roberta has carried the prejudice throughout her life. However, the power of change and the connection that keeps on emerging between the two characters provides a base for