Assignment 3:7- Power in a Name: Allusions in Green Grass, Running Water
In the first ten pages of Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water, there has already been numerous names mentioned in the text. King does not shy away from using allusions profusely throughout the novel, so it will be interesting to explore his choices. Allusions are powerful tools in literature, and part of that power comes from the association with how names impact our stories. We pay more attention to names than perhaps many other elements of a story, and that is because names become our connection to memorable images. Names are one of the easiest things to remember from a story since they convey the identity of the characters in a tale. In the first ten pages, some of the names King chose to use are iconic ones often related to Western culture. The question is, what is the reason for choosing them, and what is King trying to convey through the particular images evoked by these names? Starting from the beginning of the tale, we have the name, Coyote.
Coyote
Coyote’s presence marks the start of the story, where there was nothing but water, and Coyote. Already a well-known trickster figure in Indigenous stories, the name brings about an image of both mischief and wisdom. According to Flick’s notes, they are also responsible for creating the world that we exist in. This allusion sets the tone to the story, giving readers a feeling of what is to come, and that is a tale that will not be straightforward and easily understood. Coyote’s character is one that King imitates throughout his story, a character that leaves fragments of a whole picture that we as readers seek after. The dialogues that Coyote has never allows for a sense of completion or resolution, which demands the readers to pay more attention to his role in the story.
GOD/dog
A humorous approach to intersecting two names that hold very different imagery. The word GOD is associated with an all-powerful being, a creator, while dog is small and insignificant. In Flick’s notes, it mentions that GOD is a contrary to the dog’s point of view. Although God, in many instances, is regarded as the most powerful being, at the beginning of the story he is simply a loud character that Coyote engages with. Therefore, the image that King creates with the dialogue between Coyote and GOD subverts the reader’s expectations reside with the allusion.
The Heroes of the West: Lone Ranger, Hawkeye, Ishmael, and Robinson Crusoe
After the brief introduction of Coyote and God/dog, we come across characters trying to tell their creation stories. Their names allude to the famous, iconic figures of the West. Flick explains the role of each character in her notes, and the four had surprisingly one thing in common: a companion that is considered an Indian or a savage. Lone Ranger was a ranger of the Western front, accompanied by his faithful friend, Tonto. Hawkeye represented a connection between two worlds, of the West and the Native. His best friend, Chingachgook, was also an Indian. Ishmael had an intimate friendship with Queequeg, a cannibal, and Robinson Crusoe befriended Friday, a savage that he rescued from the cannibals.
I can’t help but sense a bit of satire coming from King with these iconic names spread across the pages. Why are they chosen to be the ones discussing creation stories? Their roles in their Western tales are noble. They are the characters who were able to befriend the Indian or the savage of the story, showed them a better way of living, and receive loyalty from their companions who represented the role of the “Other”. What made them heroic in their own tales was not only the fact that they were brave, respected characters, but also the fact that they were able to befriend those who were viewed as outsiders, to the point where these faithful “savages” would gladly give their lives for these heroes because of the heroes’ superior nature. Does this give them the privilege of telling their creation stories, then? King’s intention of alluding these iconic names could be a call to attention to the problematic themes underlying these famous stories.
Works Cited
“Coyote – Native American Trickster, Creator, And Sacred Animal Who Can Deceive but Also Give Wisdom.” Ancient Pages, 28 April 2017. Web. 20 March 2019, http://www.ancientpages.com/2017/04/28/coyote-native-american-trickster-creator-sacred-animal-can-deceive-also-give-wisdom/
“Fenimore’s Natty Bumppo.” James Fenimore Cooper: A Literary Pioneer. Web. 21 March 2019, http://xroads.virginia.edu/~ug02/cooper/bumppo.html
Flick, Jane. “Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water.” Canadian Literature, vol.161/162. 1994.
King, Thomas. Green Grass Running Water. Toronto: Harper Collins, 1993. ebook.
Kowalczyk-Harper, Hannah. “The Useful Allusion: 6 Reasons to Use Literary Allusions in Your Writing.” The Writing Cooperative, 4 Jun 2015. Web. 20 March 2019, https://writingcooperative.com/the-useful-allusion-6-reasons-to-use-literary-allusions-in-your-writing-1fb6b3954b83
Morgan, David. “The Lone Ranger: A Western Icon.” CBS News. Web. 21 March 2019, https://www.cbsnews.com/pictures/the-lone-ranger-a-western-icon/