How Does Saul Change In Indian Horse?
But as Saul grows older, the trauma from his past and the racism he faces everyday bear down on him. He becomes violent, sullen, and an alcoholic. It’s not until many years later, when he is a grown man, that he begins to acknowledge the roots of his unhappiness.
What happened to Saul at the end of Indian Horse?
There is a scene at the end of Richard Wagamese’s book Indian Horse where the main character, Saul, travels back to Northern Ontario, to where his family calls home, a place called God’s Lake. There, he is able to heave out in sobs the sorrow and anger caused by the life he’s been forced to live.
What does Saul learn about himself in Indian Horse?
He identifies himself as Saul Indian Horse, a descendant of the Fish Clan of the Northern Ojibwe, or Anishinabeg. He is advised to share his story in order to find peace, but he is unable to share openly with others. Instead, he is given permission to write his story down, so that he can “get on with life.”
How does trauma affect Saul in Indian Horse?
Saul is negatively impacted by the residential through his identity from being separated from his family, stripping him of his culture that made him feel unworthy and by the endurance of the trauma and abuse he suffers. Saul was taken away from his family by the white men also known as the Zhanagush to St. Jermomes.
How is Saul resilient in Indian Horse?
Resilience is a necessary quality that can support one throughout their entire life. Saul shows resilience in many areas of his life. One example is when he loses his entire family and is placed in a residential school but can withstand all his misery to find a new identity while playing hockey.
How does Saul end up moving to Manitouwadge?
In 1966, when Saul is thirteen, he is invited by Fred Kelly to live with his Ojibway family in Manitouwadge and play for the Manitouwadge Moose junior hockey team (nicknamed “the Moose”), coached by Fred and captained by their son Virgil. Father Quinney and Father Leboutilier allow Saul to leave St. Jerome’s.
What has Saul lost in Indian Horse?
Saul describes parts of his childhood in the late 1950s. He tells how two of his siblings—Rachel and Benjamin—were kidnapped by whites and brought to local schools, a common practice then. Saul’s mother, Mary, never recovers from the loss. Naomi, Saul’s grandmother, moves their family further inland to keep them safe.
What happens in chapter 33 that changes Saul’s life?
Instead of allowing prejudice to steal away his confidence, Saul has been able to use the racism of his opponents as a motivating force to become a better player, and he ends up getting recruited for the NHL.
What transformation does Saul believe hockey can bring?
Saul Indian Horse was first introduced to the game of hockey through literature within the racist, nationalistic, and assimilative space of the residential school. “From those books,” he declares, “I got the idea that hockey had an alchemy that could transform ordinary men into great ones” (57).
How does Saul find his identity?
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.
How does Saul learn to protect himself from abuse?
Jerome’s, Saul comes to stay with his two adopted parents, Fred Kelly and Martha Kelly, both of whom went to St. Jerome’s as children. Saul finds the courage to tell Fred and Martha about his abuse, and Fred and Martha admit to him that they experienced similar abuses at school.
How did Father Leboutilier affect Saul?
Leboutilier teaches Saul how to play hockey, and gives him endless encouragement and love. Without Leboutilier, Saul leads readers to believe, Saul would never have developed his skills as a hockey player, and would have continued living at St. Jerome’s in utter misery.
What is the most important lesson from Indian Horse?
One of the most prominent lessons that he teaches you, is that no matter how hard life seems, you must keep on going and face your problems head on. It may seem like rock bottom for Saul, he is alone. Without any family or friends, stuck in one of the most terrible places you could even imagine, Saul is sad and lonely.
What challenges does Saul face in Indian Horse?
As Saul moves up in the hockey world, he faces racism and discrimination. Saul struggles to continue playing and with the idea of giving up his dream. The book ends with Saul struggling with his addiction to alcohol and facing the reality of the trauma of what he went through in the Residential school.
Why did they cut Sauls hair in Indian Horse?
This removal of hair parallels a common humiliation and dehumanizing tactic, such as the Nazis shaving the heads of prisoners in concentration camps. The scene where Saul’s long hair is cut off is a real moment for the actor, Sladen Peltier, who plays Saul.
Is Saul in Indian Horse a hero?
Its hero is Saul Indian Horse, a resilient Ojibway boy who becomes a self-made star on the hockey rink while enduring abuse by priests and nuns at his residential school.
What episode does Saul change his identity?
Saul Goodman first requested an identity change in Breaking Bad season 5’s penultimate episode, “Granite State.” With the help of Ed Galbraith, also known as “The Disappearer,” Saul became Gene Takavic, the manager of the Cinnabon in an Omaha shopping mall.
Why does Saul turn the switch off?
He flips the switch at the end, half-expecting something terrible to happen, but apparently, nothing does. He gains confidence that he can keep Slippin’ Jimmy in his back pocket and bring him out from time to time. The switch toggles between legit Jimmy and Slippin’ Jimmy, and he’s become more comfortable using it.
How does Saul escape from reality?
Saul uses hockey as a major escape route and as he plays hockey he stops being reserved and becomes livelier. Hockey helps him forget about his problems. For instance, he said that the game kept him from remembering; that as long as he could escape into it, he could fly away (Wagamese 199).
What sacrifices does Saul make in Indian Horse?
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. Personal sacrifice can be nearly impossible, but is a necessity in life.
When Saul fell off his horse?
He fell to the ground and heard a voice saying to him, “Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting me?” He said, “Who are you, sir?” The reply came, “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting. Now get up and go into the city and you will be told what you must do” (Acts 9:3-6).
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