Pages 38-64, 420-424

In this assignment, we are asked to analyze and connection as many allusions to historical references as possible. Upon my first read in the previous assignment, I found the constant changing style of the book quite unnerving, and daunting. It was no simpler this time round, so I hope that my writings are accurate to the proper interpretation of the text.

Dr. Joseph Hovaugh and Dr. John Eliot
One of the most obvious allusions in the book is the subtle connection of Dr. Joseph Hovaugh to Jehovah. In reference to both characters, it becomes clear the Hovaugh is a representation of a colonizer, and Eliot is a man that advocates rights against those who have been colonized. This becomes clearer when we look at the positions of each individual, both in reference to their job, and their thoughts. Hovaugh works at an asylum to keep the four Indians inside, which becomes an allusion to the dominant issue of many First Nations both past, and sometimes present. This is the issue of the colonizers versus the natives, or the colonized. It becomes clearer in Jane Flick’s analysis where Dr. Hovaugh hospital is on the same site as the prison in Fort Marion, Florida that the old Indians go to for prison. This connection helps to further mind Hovaugh’s role as the colonizer, imprisoning and oppressing the First Nations.

Another direction of characterizing Dr. Joseph Hovaugh and his allusions, is to the subtle references to the Christian bible. We see that King makes reference of Dr. Hovaugh to be old and worn, as seen by his garden trees falling victim to blight, and must be replaced by new saplings. We see the parallel of Dr. Hovaugh’s garden to himself, being disconnected and confused, rather than powerful as wise. This becomes a major difference between the play-on-word connection of Dr. Hovaugh to Jehovah, the God, and how Dr. Hovaugh is represented in the novel, confused and worn. This take on King’s characterization leads me to believe that king is trying to allude to the fact that “Euro-centric societies [need] to re-evaluate the values that Dr. Hovaugh represents” (Eldatari, 2009) in order for people like the Old Indians, to be a part of society and create a forwards change for First Nations.

The Four Indians

Similar to Hovaugh and Eliot, I found that the four Indians are allusions that represent the idea of colonization. First, I found that the four Indians were split into two groups, those who fought for their culture, like Lone Ranger and Hawkeye, and those who are weakened, who did not protect their culture, like Ishmael and Robinson Crusoe. In Jane Flick’s analysis, it is said that Robinson is an allusion to Defoe’s hero, who was a shipwreck survivor that lived by cannibalism. When rescued, he was named a savage, similar to Robinson; this reference even goes as far to Crusoe’s shirt that references the palm trees, signalling the connection to the deserted islands. In the shipwreck, Robinson was weakened and left for dead, crushed. However, his tenacity and perseverance paid off in his life. This can also be said to be an allusion to the states of colonialized First Nations. Both Robinson and Ishmael in King’s story, show that they are weakened, but their tenacity may be the true key to prevail against colonialism.

Norma and Lionel

Norma and Lionel’s positions are two sides of First Nations adopted lifestyles. Norma feels that her nephew is abandoning his Indian roots by adopting with the Western ideals and ways of living, while Lionel is perfectly happy with his Canadian lifestyle. Norma is an allusion to the figures of our lives that remain to carry old traditions. I remember my grandma when I read parts of the novel where Norma appeared, because she constantly reminded of the traditions that my grandma would bring when she comes over. It becomes hard for me to distance my comfortable patterns of life as a twenty-first century Canadian. However, as her time with me moves on, my abrasion to these new traditions, slowly fade. I found my experience mirrored by Lionel, whose life as a TV salesmen made his stable. However, as he travels with Eli, his experience shift, and wanes. He decides that he wants to stay in the cabin. I find Lionel’s experience an allusion to the lives of many First Nations, where they struggle to balance their traditions with the lives that they live in the Christianized world.

Latisha and Alberta Frank

Lastly, Latisha and Alberta are examples of First Nations who have remained with the roots and traditions. Alberta’s name is an immediate allusion to the Canadian province and home of Thomas King. She is the “principal female character in the realist story” as Flick notes, and it is also possible that her name is derived from Frank, Alberta on the Turtle River; the town was the site of a major disaster and it was buried by the recognized Frank Slide of 1903.

Works Cited

Flick, Jane. “Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water.”Canadian Literature 161.162 (1999): 140-72. 1999. Accessed. 18 March 2020.

King, Thomas. Green Grass Running Water. Toronto: Harper Collins, 2007. Print.

“Lone Ranger”. Encyclopædia Britannica. Encyclopædia Britannica Online. Encyclopædia Britannica Inc., Accessed 18 March 2020

The CanLit Guides Editorial Team “ Green Grass, Running Water by Thomas King” CanLit Guides, Accessed 15, March 2020.

Eldatari. “Dr. Joseph Hovaugh and Jehovah.” Words and Names, Accessed 17, March 2020.

8. Everyone is on the move in this novel, road trips abound and in order to hit the road what do we need? — a road map. At the same time, Lionel, Charlie and Alberta are each seeking direction in life. As Goldman says, “mapping is a central metaphor” (24) of this novel. Maps chart territory and provide directions, they also create borders and boundaries and they help us to find our way. There is more than one way to map, and just as this novel plays with conflicting story traditions, I think King is also playing with conflicting ways to chart territory. What do you think lies at the centre of King’s mapping metaphor? Marline Goldman, “Mapping and Dreaming; Native Resistance in Green Grass Running Water.” Canadian Literature 161-162 (1999). Web. April 04/2013.

“Green Grass Running Water” is a novel I much enjoyed reading, weaving the perspectives of many individuals into a single literature. Throughout the novel, it explores a common theme of land and borders, through the characters of Charlie, Lionel, Alberta, Eli, Dr. Hovuagh and Bobo. In the case of Charlie, he finds himself unable to travel due to having his vehicle stolen. His map becomes stopped and he is stagnant on his trip to seeing Lionel and Alberta. Alberta tries to map her own life in her own way. She wishes to start a family without a husband, something that can be seen as uncommon. Lionel, on the other hand, hasn’t found a path he’d like to take and he struggles with knowing what he’s really meant to do. These characters seem to foil Dr. Hovaugh well, in that he plans his life, almost to a T. Dr. Hovaugh maps everything, as seen by the heaps of maps, brochures and travel guides that surround him. However, Dr. Hovaugh seems to plan his mapping in a more Western style, listing out the directions and borders of land. Lastly is Eli, one of the few characters who truly knows his way around a map. Eli is different from Charlie who needs a map, Alberta who is making her own map, Lionel who is trying to find a map and Dr. Hobaugh who religiously abides by maps. In fact, Eli doesn’t need a map, which can be seen as a metaphor for no longer seeing the boundaries that has been placed on society. Eli takes paths that are far from the main road as seen by the instance where he takes Lionel to the Sun Dance. In this blog post, I wish to explore the metaphor of King’s mapping in his book, and uncover the possible truths or messages that King wishes to express through the characters described above.

Firstly, we must consider the question of maps, metaphors, Western and First Nations. The most obvious answer is the style and mode of thinking, exploring and dividing land between Western and First Nations philosophy. In Western philosophy, regarding structure and power (something previously discussed in conjunction to dichotomy) we see that Western prefers a system of distinct structures that outline and have concrete boundaries. Meanwhile, First Nations culture is often seen being more fluent with their systems. For instance the story of Charm versus the story of Genesis is a clear depiction of the firm boundaries of Western culture versus the open-ended style of First Nations culture. In the case of mapping, the characters have different approaches to mapping due to the traditions that they have, whether it is influenced by Western culture, First Nations culture or a mixture of both. It becomes clear that Western culture depicts the strict borders that are set on maps, and the home road taken by Eli is more of a representation of First Nations traditions towards mapping.

The second, less obvious analysis involves the approaches to story-telling where mapping is simply a parallel to the different views that are seen during story-telling. In a story of Western culture, it is strict, set in 3 parts. There is a beginning, a conflict (middle), and climax and conclusion. We see this in many televisions shows where programs are often structured in a way that we are able to easily follow along, and feel comfortable watching. The 3-act structure is representative of the linear style of mapping that is codified in Western culture. Meanwhile, the First Nations mapping doesn’t have a distinct path that it must follow to get from beginning to end. In fact, many stories from First Nations culture don’t put a heavy focus on an “end point”. Instead, it focuses on the head, the heart and the spirit (or emotion) of the journey. This reminds me of a movie that I had watched long ago called “Arrival” where the protagonist finds herself in a story, midway. The movie has an end, but in actuality, it is getting to the beginning. It reminded me that stories are not only to get to a point, but rather to get a point across. By changing the common 3-act structure and linear style that codified Western structure, Arrival allowed me to take time to enjoy the emotions and meanings behind the story itself, instead of waiting for an expected ending. Similarly, I found that the mapping metaphor in King’s book is also trying to express the same lesson. Western culture, far too often, places more emphasis on the boundaries and firm roads, that we forget what stands behind them.

Works Cited

Feinman, Amanda. “On Arrival, Circular Storytelling, and Not Arriving Anywhere.” BLARB // Los Angeles Review of Books, https://blog.lareviewofbooks.org/reviews/arrival-circular-storytelling-arriving-anywhere/, Accessed March 7, 2020.

“The Map is Not the Territory”. Farnam Street, https://fs.blog/2015/11/map-and-territory/, Accessed March 7, 2020.

Government of Alberta. “Walking Together.” The Oral Tradition, http://www.learnalberta.ca/content/aswt/oral_tradition/documents/oral_tradition.pdf, Accessed March 7, 2020.