History Repeating Itself- Essay 1 PDF

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Prof. Katrin Urschel...

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Watson 1 Megan Watson Katrin Urschel ENGL 3481H: Studies in Indigenous Fiction 16 February 2017 History Repeating Itself The Indigenous culture has been founded on the traditions of oral storytelling to share experiences, come together as a community, and most importantly to teach others (particularly younger generations) about cultural beliefs, rituals, history, relationships, and more. The importance placed on oral storytelling in Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water is essential to plot development and the character Coyote. Mistakes are commonly made within the novel by characters, and these mistakes stem from a source of misinterpretation, misunderstanding, or the inability on a character’s part to truly grasp the meaning behind the story being told. If you fail to listen to (or take anything away from) the stories and oral traditions that are used to teach Indigenous culture, you are bound to repeat the same mistakes as characters in the story. Therefore, the implication of making mistakes (and learning nothing from them) will result in history repeating itself. This is displayed in King’s work through the character Coyote, and his inability to understand the stories he is told. The cautionary words Ishmael shares with the Lone Ranger are significant in terms of foreshadowing. This conversation is a warning to readers from the beginning of the novel that if one does not pay attention to the stories being told, bad things may happen. This not only places extra emphasis on the importance of storytelling within Indigenous culture, but the importance of listening to these stories, and taking a lesson away from them. Ishmael’s statement foreshadows the mistakes that Coyote makes leading up to the events at the end of the novel. Coyote serves as

Watson 2 a trickster figure in King’s novel, and is a metaphor for the resentment and foolishness that have characterized Indigenous life since the colonial invasion. The novel displays the cycle of mistakes that come with dire consequences repeating themselves, meaning Coyote also serves as a metaphor for continuance. Coyote’s ability to serve as a transcendent character allows him to exist in each of the 4 separate story lines that co-exist within the novel, displaying the power his character has, and allowing readers to understand this trickster/power combination will ultimately lead to chaos. Further into the novel, King says, “Up ahead, at the end of the alley near the rear entrance to the store, Lionel thought he could see a yellow dog dancing in the rain” (279). This, again, foreshadows that Coyote is up to no good, and that consequences will follow his present actions later in the novel. Coyote’s character is one that is reckless, yet blissfully unaware of the consequences his disastrous actions could cause, and how these choices will affect others. Coyote existed long before human life. He had time to learn from his extensive experiences; however, he takes few lessons away from the mistakes he has made. The creations he makes are often not helpful, and when caught making a mistake, he is never sincere in his apologies. This could be because he feels no remorse for his actions, or he fails to understand the gravity of the trouble he causes. He also makes it clear when the story is being told he does not understand what the story is about, and constantly asks questions to clarify his lack of understanding. The past mistakes Coyote made align with Christian views and hold Christian references; two specific references to this are made toward the end of the novel, saying, “The last time you fooled around like this” said Robinson Crusoe, “the world got very wet,” followed by, “But I was helpful too,” says Coyote. “That woman who wanted a baby. Now, that was helpful.” “Helpful!” said Robinson Crusoe. “You remember the last time you did that?” (416).

Watson 3 The first instance refers to the Biblical story of Noah’s Ark, with King insinuating that Coyote was responsible for the flood, while the second shows him admitting to impregnating Alberta, similarly to Mary’s immaculate conception from God. These two instances allow the reader to better understand the amount of trouble Coyote has caused in his lifetime, and the scale on which people are affected by his actions. Based on his past mistakes, readers can recognize that Coyote’s actions often have more negative consequences than positive (e.g.; the Blossom community post-dam break, Eli’s death, etc.). The dam in Blossom is symbolic of colonialism and the affect white people have had on Indigenous peoples, their land, their customs, their beliefs, and the level of intrusiveness with which they approach situations. Like the title states, the dam kills the grass and stops the flow of water in the river; Coyote’s dance causes an earthquake, which results in the return of running water. As a creation figure, Coyote’s actions attempt and begin to restore the natural order within the Indigenous landscape of the novel. Despite the grand mistakes Coyote makes, readers see at the end of the novel that the cycle is destined to repeat itself once again. When being reprimanded, Coyote (again) attempts to evade taking responsibility for his actions, and fails to own up to his choices. His refusal to accept his actions hinder him from offering a sincere apology or understanding the affect his choices have on others. At the end of the novel we see Hawkeye, Robinson Crusoe, and Ishmael start the story again for Coyote. This leads me to believe this is not the first time a situation such as this has happened, and taking into consideration Ishmael’s foreshadowing to Hawkeye at the beginning of the novel, this further strengthens my belief that if one cannot listen to the stories they are being taught, and accept responsibility for their actions, the cycle of destruction and chaos will eternally continue.

Watson 4 Works Cited King, Thomas. Green Grass, Running Water. Toronto: Harper Perennial Modern Classics, 2010. Print. Urschel, Katrin. "Green Grass, Running Water." Studies in Indigenous Fiction. Trent University, Peterborough. 14 Feb. 2017. Lecture. Winger, Rob. "Long Before Europe: Green Grass, Running Water (Part I)." Space and Place in Canadian Literature. Trent University, Peterborough. 31 Oct. 2016. Lecture. Winger, Rob. "Long Before Europe: Green Grass, Running Water (Part II)." Space and Place in Canadian Literature. Trent University, Peterborough. 7 Nov. 2016. Lecture....