St. Jerome's Indian Residential School
It's funny how after we correct a mistake, old habits make it impossible to change. This would explain why the Zhaunagush still refer to the Fish Clan of the northern Ojibway as "Indians". Centuries after discovering that he had not actually landed on the shores of India, the white man still uses the word as common slang. This would also explain why the countless accounts of physical and sexual abuse endured in Canadian residential schools continued to go unchanged for over 100 years. Sure, the idea of educating 100% of Canada's population sounded like a good thing to most, if not all, of mainstream Canada. It did not, however, have this joyous effect on Saul Indian Horse. After being stripped of his identity and culture, he finds himself a foreigner in a place where he is an outsider among his own people. St. Jerome's Indian Residential school is "hell on Earth". Saul, an introvert, tries to find escapism in the form of anything he can get his hands on- anything from books to hockey. Although this does little to alleviate his sorrows, it gives him a sense of individuality that most others there cannot afford.
This is only the beginning of the lifetime of discrimination that Saul is yet to endure. In Indian Horse, we are offered an exclusive view into the life of one of the most misunderstood peoples whose lives we have drastically altered. As we watch Saul move from place to place to place, it is clear by his persistent nomadic lifestyle that no matter how hard the Zhauganush try, they can never take away his Ojibway identity.
This is only the beginning of the lifetime of discrimination that Saul is yet to endure. In Indian Horse, we are offered an exclusive view into the life of one of the most misunderstood peoples whose lives we have drastically altered. As we watch Saul move from place to place to place, it is clear by his persistent nomadic lifestyle that no matter how hard the Zhauganush try, they can never take away his Ojibway identity.
Theme
There are countless themes constantly being developed throughout Indian Horse. One of the most emphasized, however, was the idea that the only way you can solve your problems is to face them head on. Throughout this whole book, Saul is unable to make sense of his life. He does not understand why he has an inability to connect with other people. The reader and himself are left to infer that this is natural due to his individualistic personality. Much about Saul is explained, however, when he finally understands (after over a decade) the horrifying experience that is the root cause of this. This accounts for why "there was a bigger part of me that I could never understand. It was the part that sought separation" (Wagamese 187). He was afraid that if he got too close to anyone, he would have to re-tell this experience. This also explains his extreme passion for hockey as a form of escapism from the unimaginable reality at St. Jerome's. After hockey, he continues to find other ways to suppress the existence of this memory. In the end, however, no amount of drinking, reading nor telling lies to strangers can allow Saul to move on with his life. Wagamese makes it very clear that the only way to move on is to accept reality.
Other themes
I'm sure all of you have heard the stereotype of the nice and polite Canadian. The one that says "Thank you" and "please" in virtually every sentence. The Canadian guard who lets out their prisoners as long as they are "back by bedtime". The government who is known as a symbol of maple syrup and peace. In Indian Horse, Wagamese challenges this stereotype by having mainstream Canada as one of the main antagonists who has a serious problem with accepting people who look different. He uses irony to make us question our history.
Another very prominent theme is old vs. new, which is represented as nature vs. mankind. Wagamese makes it clear through the overtaking of the Ojibway people by the Zhaunagush that the corruption of the progression of society is not entirely good compared to the simple innocence of the nomadic Ojibay lifestyle.
Another very prominent theme is old vs. new, which is represented as nature vs. mankind. Wagamese makes it clear through the overtaking of the Ojibway people by the Zhaunagush that the corruption of the progression of society is not entirely good compared to the simple innocence of the nomadic Ojibay lifestyle.
Characters
Saul Indian Horse, named after his grandfather, is blunt, spiritual, and highly intelligent. His bluntness can be traced back to his good old days living in 'the bush' with his ever-roaming family. Given the simplicity of this lifestyle, it is not hard to imagine why Saul does not like to overcomplicate situations. His spirituality can also be traced back to this time period, specifically the magical tales his grandmother told of Ojibway beliefs and culture. His intelligence is due to him making use of the few books available at St. Jerome's and a strong desire to learn. This combination of attributes makes him the perfect combination of old and new. It gives him an edge at anything he sets his mind to. In hockey, for example, he has "the gift" of his ancestors to see the game, combined with learned knowledge of manoeuvers, techniques and proper form. He is currently at risk of losing a battle against one of his toughest adversaries yet: alcohol. If he cannot re-discover his past, he will likely not have a future.
Saul's grandmother is a large woman with a large amount of wisdom. She has gained the respect and trust of all of her clan members, and has a strong say in the decision-making process. She is protective and selfless. She is the last of her people to believe in the old ways, and will put her family before even her most basic needs for survival. This is because she genuinely cares more about the well-being of others than that of herself. These two things are her identity and she is willing to defend them to the death.
Men want to be him. Women want to be with him. No, he's not the Old Spice guy.... he's Virgil! The cool kid on the hockey team, he decides to give Saul's natural born talent a shot at the big leagues by inviting him to be a member of the Manitouwadge Moose, one of the most prestigious unofficial aboriginal junior hockey teams in all of Ontario. Although he may seem rude at times, him and Saul share a bond that stretches far beyond the rink... they are like brothers. Virgil is a good supporting character to Saul, as he always tries to bring out the best in him and get him to strive towards greatness.