Assignment 3.7 – Hyperlinking Green Grass, Running Water

Write a blog that hyper-links your research on the characters in GGRW using at least 10 pages of the text of your choice. Be sure to make use of  Jane Flicks’ GGRW reading notes on your reading list.

For my blog post I have chosen to focus on pages 9-19 of the Green Grass, Running Water ebook. Analyzing these pages along with Jane Flicks’ reading notes provides rich insight into the meanings behind King’s characters and references. 

Lone Ranger, Hawkeye, Ishmael and Robinson Crusoe

On page 9, four characters are introduced whose names are all allusions to popular figures. Jane Flicks explains how the Lone Ranger is a prominent hero of the Western genre (Flicks 141). He is a character seen in radio, books, television and films which is part of the Western genre that perpetuates racist and harmful stereotypes of Indigenous people. Hawkeye is the nickname of the protagonist of James Fenimore Cooper’s novels, The Leatherstocking Tales, who Flicks describes as “a white woodsman and guide” and like the Lone Ranger, is a prominent American cultural figure, appearing in several films and series (142). Ishmael is a name with Biblical connections as well as being the name of the narrator in Moby Dick written by Herman Melville. Robinson Crusoe is a classic novel written by Daniel Defoe, which follows the titular character who is stranded on an island alone. 

Once upon a time… and A long time ago in a faraway land

This is an allusion to two common phrases that are often used when beginning stories – especially fairytales. The way in which both phrases are used by King highlights the contrast of these very Western style and English-speaking storytelling techniques with the Indigenous language of Cherokee which is later used by the characters to begin the story. King emphasizes how it is “best not to make [mistakes] with stories” which emphasizes the importance of oral storytelling, something which is alluded to with the Lone Ranger beginning the story with the Western- style  rather than with the Indigenous language the others are expecting (10). 

“Gah!” said the Lone Ranger “Higayv:ligé:i.”

Flicks highlights how this is the first instance of Cherokee being spoken by the characters, which is the “ceremonial opening of storytelling in a Cherokee divining ceremony” (144). This highlights the importance of the use and inclusion of Indigenous language, which is emphasized by Hawkeye’s line “That’s better” once the Lone Ranger begins the story in Cherokee (King 10). 

Dr. Joseph Hovaugh

Flicks explains how this character name is an allusion to the name of God in the Old Testament. He is presented as an authoritative man who can be representative of the colonization of Indigenous people, as he manages the mental institution from which the Lone Ranger, Hawkeye, Ishmael and Robinson Crusoe have escaped. 

Alberta Frank

Alberta is an allusion to the province which Flicks highlights King himself lived in from 1980-1990. Frank is also the name of a town in Alberta in which a devastating rockslide occurred in 1903. 

Students: Henry Dawes, Mary Rowlandson, John Collier, Hannah Duston

Alberta’s students have names which relate to historical figures, including politicians and social reformers. Mary and Hannah were both women who became famous for their captivity narratives. The students all make reference to real life events and important points in history concerning Indigneous people and the effects of colonial narratives. 

Babo Jones and Sergeant Cereno

Both of these names are allusions to Herman Melville’s novella “Benito Cereno” which focuses on a Spanish slave ship. Babo is a character in the story who is “the leader of the slave revolt on board the San Dominick” while Benito Cereno is the captain of the San Dominick (Flicks 145). Again, King makes references to other narratives concerning colonialism and does so to connect them to his own exploration of similar themes, allowing for each character to have a symbolic purpose and role throughout GGRW. 

 

Works Cited:

Defoe, Daniel. “Robinson Crusoe.” Penguin Books UK, Imprint: Puffin Classics, www.penguin.co.uk/books/31388/robinson-crusoe/9780141377636.html.

Elwell, Walter A. “What Does the Name Jehovah Mean?” Bible Study Tools, www.biblestudytools.com/dictionary/jehovah/.

Flick, Jane. “Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water.” Canadian Literature, 161/162, 1999, pp. 140–172.

King, Thomas. Green Grass, Running Water. Ebook, Harper Collins, 2012. 

“Learn.” Frank Slide Interpretative Centre, frankslide.ca/learn.

Madrid, Anthony. “‘Once Upon a Time’ and Other Formulaic Folktale Flourishes.” The Paris Review, 23 May 2018, www.theparisreview.org/blog/2018/05/23/once-upon-a-time-and-other-formulaic-folktale-flourishes/.

Melville, Herman. “Benito Cereno by Herman Melville.” Penguin Random House, www.penguinrandomhouse.com/books/643298/benito-cereno-by-herman-melville/.

Simkin, John. “Henry Dawes.” Spartacus Educational, spartacus-educational.com/WWdawesC.htm.

“The Lone Ranger 1949 – 1957 Opening and Closing Theme.” YouTube, uploaded by Teevees Greatest, 23 February 2016, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p9lf76xOA5k.