“Write a blog that hyper-links your research on the characters in GGRW according to the pages assigned to you. Be sure to make use of Jane Flicks’ GGRW reading notes on your reading list.” (Paterson, Lesson 3.3)
From page 191 (229 in 2010 edition): “ Okay,” I says. “Let’s get started” …. To page 205 (244 in 2010 edition): “Latisha lay in bed with her eyes closed and listened to Elizabeth climb out of her crib” ….
Characters mentioned (bold indicates characters focused on in this post) in this literature-opsy are:
John Wayne Lionel Red Dog Coyote Dr. Hovaugh Babo Ishmael
Border Guard Robinson Crusoe Hawkeye Lone Ranger Thought Woman
In this section, we are introduced to Thought Woman, and following a brief interlude with Dr. Hovaugh and Babo across the US/Canadian border, we find our selves with Lionel on the morning of his 40th birthday. My examination of connection in this passage centers on this dynamic of change and thought, as symbolized by the black section of the medicine wheel (see above). These concepts of thought, self-realization and constructions of identity permeate the third section of the novel, and are best illustrated by examining the characters of Thought Woman, Lionel Red Dog and John Wayne.
Before delving into those characters, I would like to examine the interlude with Dr. Hovaugh and Babo travelling across the US/Canadian border (pages 235-238 in the 2010 ed.). Babo is a relation of Babo the insurrectionist, “…the black slave who is the barber and the leader of the slave revolt on board the San Dominick” in Herman Melville’s Benito Cereno (Flick, 145). What interests me is the crossing of Babo over the border. While doing so, a Canadian Border guard remarks to Dr. Hovaugh: “Nonetheless, you’ll have to register her…All personal property has to be registered…It’s for your protection as well as ours” (King, 236-237).
As the above is an obvious reference to the enslavement of Africans by European settler-colonists in both the US and Canada, I wasn’t able to find any references regarding the need to register slaves when crossing the US/Canadian border. While I’m sure there is a precedent historically, I was able to find research on exclusionary immigration practices of Canadian authorities: “Canadian authorities…paid agents in the United States to warn African-Americans of the pernicious nature of Canada and to instruct them on its dangers.” (Schwinghamer, “The Colour Bar…”).
Canada is often positioned historically as the end of the Underground Railroad, a tolerant country, in contrast with the U.S, with its long and complicated history of slavery. Therefore, it was a surprise for me to learn of the following: “In 12 August 1911, the Canadian Government passed an Order-in-Council banning “any immigrants belonging to the Negro race, which is deemed unsuitable to the climate and requirements of Canada.” The regulation does not appear to have been invoked officially and was never inscribed in the Immigration Act…” (Schwinghamer). I think King includes the comments of the border guard in order to challenge these notions of Canada as tolerant, and Canada as home of the freed.
Page 238 in the 2010 ed: “What they thought were omens,” said Dr. Hovaugh…”Were actually miracles…When we get back…I’ll lend you a book I have”.
Northrop Frye: The Well-Tempered Critic. Canada Post Corporation, 2000.
Dr. J. Hovaugh, a phonetic symbol for Jehovah, is a stand-in for Northrop Frye, the structuralist literary critic, and the book referred to in the preceding quote is probably Frye’s book, The Great Code: The Bible and Literature.
Now, on to the main event:
This passage starts at the beginning of the third section, which ascribes to the thematic tones set symbolized by the black quarter of the medicine wheel. Laframboise and Sherbina describe the properties of this area of the medicine wheel as the following:
Direction of the West. Color is black for the Black Nation. Spirit Animal placed there by my teachings is the brown medicine bear. We say it is the place of deep introspection and reflection. The sun sets in that direction. We ask for the ability to go deep within to do the healing necessary. We place the element of water in that direction.
(“The Medicine Wheel”)
The Woman Who Fell From the Sky in this section is Thought Woman. Thought Woman has been equated to the Spider Woman of Pueblo creation myths, and while Thought Woman creates the world through thought, Spider Woman spins the world into being as a force of creation. As the black section of the medicine wheel is the section concerned with “developing the mind” (Laframboise and Sherbina), Thought Woman – who, in creation myths, brings the world into being using her mind – naturally fits here.
The section closes with a brief scene in Lionel’s bedroom on the morning of his 40th birthday. He is contemplating the direction of his life, and in true black-section-of-the-medicine-wheel fashion, he is reconceptualizing his life: “Law, Lionel thought as he buttoned the blazer, or maybe medicine, though perhaps he was a little too old for medicine. Doctor, lawyer, Indian chief. Doctor, lawyer, television salesman. John Wayne.” (241)
Lionel spends much of the scene in front to the mirror, contemplating his body: “He had gotten not the habit of not turning the bathroom light on in the mornings. It hurt his eyes but mostly he did not want to look at what he had become – middle-aged, overweight, unsuccessful. But today he flicked out a hand like a whip and snapped the light on.” (239-240). The light is metaphorical for the act of enlightenment and change, both things Lionel desires. The turning on of the light – which we see on page 233. “Did Coyote turn on the light?” – is represented both on the universal scale and at the scale of the personal.
Lionel’s desire for a fresh start is exemplified in his actions: “Lionel opened up a new tube of toothpaste. He unwrapped a large bar of soap, a green one with white stripes that smelled like lemon spice. A new blade for his razor. Deodorant. Aftershave.” (240). It is notable that Lionel’s desire for change is acted out in consumerist actions. This is only a band-aid solution to his issues of deep dissatisfaction with self – the heavy lifting must be done in a place of “deep introspection and reflection” (Laframboise and Sherbina), not at the superficial, exterior, image based level that Lionel engages in.
This obsession with the superficial, exterior and image based is perhaps best represented by Lionel’s fixation with John Wayne (who pops up many times in Green Grass, Running Water). Lionel recounts wanting to be John Wayne at the age of six, and how “One of the cereal companies offered a free John Wayne ring for three box-tops and fifty cents handling charge” (241). This mail-away type of promotion is obsolete now, and is analogous to today’s gift-with-purchase or Happy Meal toy schemes – they are tools to promote the sale of something. In the case of the John Wayne ring, the sale goes beyond cereal – it is the sale of the validity of the settler-state, the myth of the empty Western frontier, and the caricature of the First Nations people. These are powerful ideas and thoughts, which are put into use to influence the ideas and thoughts of others in a replicating cycle (the after-effects of which we see in Lionel’s crisis of identity). It’s telling that the idea and character of John Wayne is a frequently explored site for reclaiming and re-examining Native American identity -> through my research I found this poem by Louise Erdrich, apparently oft assigned in US English Lit classes, but one I am encountering for the first time.
John Wayne is a product of Hollywood, and Hollywood is in the business of selling stories. I close with a link to Sacheen Littlefeather’s reading of Marlon Brando’s refusal of the Best Actor Oscar at the 1973 Academy Awards (during which Littlefeather, interestingly enough, recounts that “John Wayne was backstage, and he became very upset at my speech, it took four or six men to restrain him from coming to drag me off-stage” (Littlefinger, in Gilio-Whitaker).
Sacheen Littlefeather refusing Marlon Brando’s award, 1973.
Works Cited
King, Thomas. Green Grass, Running Water. Harper Perennial Modern Classics paperback edition. Toronto: HarperPerennial Modern Classics, 2010. Print.
Hello Merriam!
What a wonderful and insightful post. First, I want to comment on the video you’ve ended the entry with. Sacheen Littlefeather is such an eloquent speaker. I find myself appalled by the boos, and simultaneously happy although bittersweetly, by the way the claps drown those voices out. I had no idea about the anecdote you’ve explained for us regarding his violent restrainment. It’s unfortunate that there have been so many attempts to discredit her, even now. Thank you for enlightening me and allowing me to revisit that moment in Oscar history.
Secondly, I love the way you framed Lionel’s actions before the mirror in consumerist terms. Everything’s qualified with the ‘new’ adjective, and certainly this reflects his “desire for a fresh start.” The way you maneuvered from this older rendition of Lionel all the way to the immature roots of the character was incredibly insightful. We see corporate exploitation go hand in hand with cultural exploitation within the seemingly innocent cereal box. The settler-state is not only geographical, but a mental dominion already threatening Lionel’s societal outlook prior to purchase, potentially after and from the beginning of the diurnal clock. From breakfast to the big screen, John Wayne has seeped into the daily swing. Now older, that corporate consumption has manifested within the daily routine of hygiene maintenance.
Thanks so much! I went on a little journey of my own there, haha!
Hi Brendan!
Thank you for your comment!
I am sure a whole essay can be written regarding the meanings behind, and symbolism present in, the short scene where Lionel re-evalautes his life. I’ll leave that to more dedicated and adept literature students than I (I’m reading Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray for another class, and have recently learned that a mirror is never just a mirror. Having attempted a scan of Foucault’s Of Other Spaces’s, the concept is more than I can bear at this point).
I think King does great work in GGRW in providing a study on consumerism in the novel – each character’s relation with it providing further insight on the relationship between culture, consumption, and power/dominance. This little scene with Lionel exemplifies this, and there are moments with Charlie as well (a West Ed. Mall condo…really?) that do so as well. With Latisha and the Dead Dog Cafe, King offers a neat counterpoint to the question of dominance and consumerism.
Hi Merriam!
Great post 🙂 I think what was the most interesting part of your post was the portion regarding Canada’s position as being more tolerant in regards to different races than the US. I agree that around the world Canada has a reputation of being more “tolerant” and nice towards people from all over the world, when in reality that’s not necessarily true. The fact is that the US are more open and voice segregation aloud more than Canada seems to. I was also surprised that Canadians had the intention to ban “negros” from entering the country. I was aware of the Chinese Head Tax and Residential Schools, but unaware of the ban of negros. I appreciate you shedding light onto that fact and demonstrated a critical eye of how Canada is deemed to be “glorious and free.” Curious as to your thoughts on why they never officially invoked this into the Act?
– Courtney
Hi Courtney,
Thank you for your comments, and for your question. I came across the information regarding the informal policy – officially called an “Order in Council” (Payne, “Deemed Unsuitable”) concerning Black immigration by accident, and I too was surprised. In response to your question of why the Canadian government didn’t formalize this policy, I prepared by doing some brief research. Black immigration to Canada in the 1910s and earlier was mostly incoming from America, whether it be those escaping slavery, or after the abolishment of slavery, escaping restrictive legislation and widespread racism. In addition to those that came before them, “[b]etween about 1905 and 1911 over one thousand Black Americans emigrated to Western Canada…By 1908-09 there were small communities of Black homesteaders” in various parts of Western Canada (Payne).
I think that the presence of Black communities in small start-up Western towns was felt as a threat to the integrity of the (white) community. This speaks to the engrained idea of a ‘white’ Canada – as envisioned by Mr. Sifton – that many of those in Western Canada identified with. As to why the Order in Council was never formalized, apparently the soft measures taken by both the public and the government – in the form of propaganda campaigns designed to dissuade Black immigration, denial of immigration resources, and general unwelcoming – was successful enough, and immigration slowed.
While this is a sobering and fascinating aspect of Canada’s history of immigration, I think that this episode of the past speaks to how powerful public opinion (and even further, which levels of public opinion) can be on deciding official legislation, and indeed in the project of nation building itself.
Payne, Michael. “‘Deemed Unsuitable’: Black Pioneers in Western Canada.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. Historica Canada, 8 August 2013. Web. 3 Apr 2016.
Hi Merriam,
Thank you for your post – and the video link! Unlike Brendan, I was not aware of Littlefeather, or Brando’s refusal to accept the Oscar. I found myself thinking that the North American film industry has not made as much progress as it should have given this awareness in 1973! If someone with the stature of Marlon Brando highlights the issue, surely it should have woken up the industry!
I like the analysis that you did regarding Lionel. Obviously his obsession with John Wayne is an example of how non-Native colonizer narratives have influenced how First Nations think about themselves – when a Native boy aspires to be an actor who kills his people repeatedly in reruns. What I did not see as clearly until you pointed it out was Lionel’s materialism and his association of figuring out his life with material possessions. Again, evidence of colonizer capitalism infusing the culture.
Is your sense that Eli was able to help Lionel see a different path? In the end he seems to want to live in the rebuilt house that his Aunt proposes to build, but I almost get the sense that could be related to acquiring an asset instead of living where his ancestors had come from. What do you think?
Thanks! Andrea Davis Johnston
Hi Andrea,
Thank you for comment! I agree with you that the film industry hasn’t made as much progress as one would hope – while doing some research in response to another student’s blog post, I came across this article covering the story of how Native actors on the set of Netflix’s “The Ridiculous Six” walked off set due to how crudely and offensively the First Nations’ characters were written.
In regards to your query regarding Lionel’s back-to-the-land desire to live in the rebuilt cabin, initially I viewed it as a return-to-the-fold, renewing kind of decision. That this decision could be one with underlying capitalist motives did not strike me until you mentioned it. Looking over the text again, I see that the last impression of Lionel that King leaves us is that of Lionel questioning, once again, whether he should go back to school. Does this point to more of an acquisitive mindset? Not really, but it does leave me, as a reader, uneasy about Lionel’s fate.
Also, perhaps while Hollywood has not made any significant strides in fair and accurate representation, there has been a big push in the positive direction by First Nation’s actors, and the community in general. I think digital access plays a huge role in this – conversations can be had across the country among various groups, and awareness of these issues are magnified as well. I would probably not have learned about the actors walking off the set of “The Ridiculous Six” without the internet, for example.
Someone brought the 2009 Canadian documentary Reel Injun to my attention recently, and I think I will have to carve out time to watch it. It was inspired by the impact mid-century Western films had on the director (Neil Diamond, a Cree filmmaker) as a child, and how films have influenced people’s conceptions of Indigenous culture. Like Lionel, as a child he saw himself as John Wayne, and the film explores why that was, by looking into Hollywood film tropes of Native people.
Reel Injun. Dir. Neil Diamond. Perf. Angela Aleiss, Adam Beach, Clint Eastwood, Sacheen Littlefeather. Rezolution Pictures, National Film Board of Canada. 2009. Film.
Hi Merriam,
Thank you for the great read! From my passage, I was intruiged by Lionel but was not provided with enough information about him. After reading your post about it, I feel like I know more about Lionel now. I liked the phrase that you quoted about Lionel opening up the new toothpaste. It is an amazing connection you linked between his inner conflict with his identity and the products he uses.
Thank you for the post and the video you ended with it!
Althea
Hi Aletha,
Thank you for your comment – I am glad that I could help provide some insight into Lionel’s character through my post! The connection between Lionel’s inner identity crisis and the products he uses is certainly an interesting one. These small actions by Lionel – the unwrapping of the soap, opening a new tube of toothpaste, using a fresh toothpaste – are akin to those of a ritual cleanse. My knowledge of the smudging ceremony is limited (and I may just be grasping to find similarities in a culture I am not intimately familiar with), but perhaps these actions can be seen as a sort of proxy for such a ceremony (specifically the Sweetgrass Ceremony)? I’m not entirely decided on this – any thoughts?
Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. “Ceremonies”. Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park. n.d. Web. 4 Apr 2016.
Hi Merriam,
Great post! I really enjoyed your discussion about the relationship between US and Canada. This gets me thinking about how the segregation between the two and how there are certain boundaries that are placed upon areas. Also, I really thought it was interesting how you listed the characters in the beginning, is there a particular reason or meaning for that?
Thanks
Karen