For my section of Green Grass, Running Water, the section itself focuses on Charlie Looking Bear primarily. In my section, the novel, explores the character of Charlie Looking Bear and Eli Stand Alone. To begin with, I would like to focus on the Blackfoot native, Charlie Looking Bear, who is a lawyer for the company called Duplessis International Associates. Charlie Looking Bear, in my opinion is dealing with an identity crisis, as though being a successful lawyer; it comes at the cost of his heritage. The only reason that Duplessis International Associates use him is because he is of First Nation origin, and hope to use his background to approach the judge with more humility. His opponent, in the case in which the Duplessis International Associates employs Charlie Looking Bear, to build a dam, is Eli Stands Alone. An English professor at the University of Toronto, Eli wants to stop the dam from being built, as it would destroy him homeland. With my section, Charlie Looking Bear and Eli Stand Alone have a confrontation at the coffee shop. This confrontation represents the classic the ever powerful corporate juggernaut versus the little man. While it was difficult to find allusions, the one I would like to primarily focus on is the allusion of Eli Stand Alone and Charlie Looking Bear. These characters left their reserve to follow their dreams, and to me, both are an allusion to the yin and yang.
They are almost one circle to each other, as they stem from the same area and followed a relatively same path in life. Though, now completely different people now, as they’ve grown up in life, but still completely each other lives. Both the light and dark, battle against each other, but never overpower one or another; instead they work each other balancing each other out. On one hand, Charlie Looking Bear represents the dark side of the yin and yang as he wants to build a dam, and suddenly become part of the of a large over ruling power that once helped decimate his own people. On the other hand, Eli Stands Alone represents, the good, or the light, as he tries to educate people, and tries to inspire people, instead of crushing other people like Charlie Looking Bear. While they are constructed the same way, they are not the same person, and ultimately have opposite agency with each other, similar to the symbol of the yin and yang.
Another allusion I had to my section was the last names of Eli Stands Alone and Charlie Looking Bear. I thought that they’re last names were allusions to their character. Stands Alone, made me feel of the First Nation groups and they’re difficulties with gaining awareness about the social issues facing them. For the first nation groups and Canada, they truly stand alone, for little people outside of first nation groups, could possibly experience the issues that face the First Nations groups. Looking Bear is a rather interesting, last name, as bear is powerful and ferocious animal, which is seen in Charlie’s personality, as he drives the Porsche and acts like a predator. However, the looking aspect of his last name, gives to a more sheepish/idle connotation to his last name. Charlie is a pawn to Duplessis International Associates, as they use him to help gain the favour of the court’s ruling. Though, Charlie Looking Bear, acts as ferocious, alpha male, type predator, Charlie, is idle and could be considered a pawn.
Works Cited
King, Thomas. Green Grass Running Water. Toronto: Harper Collins, 1993. Print.
Flick, Jane. “Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass Running Water.” Canadian Literature 161-162. (1999). Web. April 04/2013.