Fudging the Danger of Believing a “Single Story”: Coyote Edition

So I have to admit something. This is my third time studying Green Grass Running Water. When I first encountered the book waaaay back in first year I was unbelievably confused. Thomas King is a complex writer with a lot of meaningful things to say, and I think my first-year English 100 professor aimed her ambitions a little high when she assigned this novel. I remember reading the novel without any background understanding of Thomas King, Western culture and its impact on Aboriginal culture and colonialism. To be honest, cracking this novel felt almost like a joke to me even though it was far from it.

 

My second study of Green Grass Running Water quite literally opened my eyes to the incredible complexity that characterizes this novel. The cultural dynamic, the literary complexity and the meaningful use of history jumped off the page. I remember the moment where I finally created my own understanding of coyote’s significance in the novel. It seemed so obvious then.

 

“So. In the beginning, there was nothing. Just the water”

 

This is the very first statement in the novel. A fictional novel is (in itself) a story. King begins his story with another story, Coyote’s story, which conveys the metaphor of creation that continues throughout the novel. The interesting thing about Coyote is that he is a character that crosses the boundaries of Aboriginal creation story(the shorter chapters without scenes from reality) and Western fiction (chapters with more believable characters and a believable plotline). Crossing such boundaries demonstrates his fluidity as a character, and the fluidity of the stories. Understanding the element of fluidity allows the reader to question the “hard” facts of the Western story.

 

Coyote always seems to be causing “mischief” wherever he goes. He teases the GOD-Dog Dream, starts all of the creation stories over, and nicky-nicky-nine-doors’ Bill Bursum’s shop. That being said, Coyote seems to be associated with new beginnings, do-overs and retellings. Coyote meshes “reality” and “story” by slipping past the barriers of reality that we build as Westernized readers. His interactions with the “real” characters of the story add an element of fantasy that jeopardizes the believability of the Western story. I feel Thomas King does this intentionally to illustrate the holes that exist in Western creation stories, and even our modern-day history lessons. Stephen Harper himself discredits the existence of colonialism in Canada when its horrors still echo in Aboriginal culture today.

In addition, Coyote’s control over the Creation story re-tellings demonstrates his power in the novel. Even though Coyote reflects a more imaginative aspect of fiction, Coyote invades the Western story without difficulty. While this might reflect a degree of “mischief” for the colonial antagonists of the story (Bill Bursum, Dr. Hovaugh), Coyote is able to demonstrate the power of story and fictional reality by using his power to annoy these antagonists. Coyote breaks the dangers of believing the single-story by jeopardizing the believability of the single story.

 

I definitely think I only scratch the surface when it comes to the significance of Coyote in this novel. Coyote is clearly a complex character despite his two-dimensional image on the cover of the Harper-Perennial edition of Green Grass Running Water.

 

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Works Cited
“Animal Symbolism of the Coyote.” Www.whats-your-sign.com. What’s Your Sign, n.d. Web. 03 July 2015.
Flick, Jane. Reading Notes for Thomas King’s Green Grass Running Water(n.d.): n. pag. Web.
King, Thomas. Green Grass Running Water. Toronto, Ont.: Harper Perennial, 2007. Print.
O’Keefe, Derrick. “Harper in Denial at G20: Canada Has ‘no History of Colonialism’.” Rabble.ca. Rabble, 28 Sept. 2009. Web. 03 July 2015.

7 Thoughts.

  1. Hi Hailey,

    I loved your post for this week! I also wrote on King’s Coyote Pedagogy and I think we touched on a lot of the same issues and interpretations of how we think Coyote represents a “teacher” figure in Green Grass Running Water. I commented on Coyote’s constant interruptions as a way to shake the reader out of their comfort zone and I think it goes right in line with your comment that it acts in a way that helps them realize the fluidity and power of story, and how there are holes that exist in the Western creation story, and Coyote’s role really plays a big part in helping us realize that as readers. Im curious to know how you understood Coyote’s role the first couple times you read the novel in your past. I know personally that I initially felt quite annoyed and confused by his character, until I realized his significance and importance and I’m wondering if you had a similar experience.

  2. Hey Freda!

    When I first read this novel I honestly had no idea what to make of Coyote. His character was so unbelievably confusing for me, and I didn’t understand his relevance (or the relevance of the oral story) in the novel at all. Then again, looking back, I had no real understanding of the colonial history that haunted North America. I thought, if anything, it sort of polluted the easy-to-understand Western story.

    This is really telling for me. Not only am I mortified at my initial interpretations of this ANTI-colonial text, but I’m also moved to recognize how influential our surroundings are for us as students of the public sector. We believe what we’re told, and that’s that.

    I feel like Coyote DOES invade the Western story, but he almost does so in a reverse-colonial way, kind of like King showing us how it feels to have our lives interrupted by a colonial effort. Coyote almost takes the place of a Christian God and starts controlling everything the way that he wants in an effort to show the reader G-rated colonialism.

    Cheers!
    Hailey

  3. Hi Hailey,
    Your description of a fictional novel as a story in itself, and Green Grass Running Water one that contains other stories in it, made me think of the way I first learned about fiction. It took me forever to remember which was fiction and which was non-fiction, and I always got them mixed up when I was little. I think I learned the definition the same way I’ve defined it teaching ESL – fiction is a story, non-fiction is real or true. In the context of this whole class, that’s very misleading and narrow-minded and dangerous. I really appreciate your comments on the fluidity of Coyote, messing around with the boundaries of stories.
    It’s great to read your thoughts on this as someone who knows the book well. I definitely think I’ll need to keep my copy around and tackle it a few more times! Do you think you’re less confused and more certain about the book, overall, or are there things that you thought you got the first or second time and now have become more puzzles?
    Thanks!
    Kaitie

    • Hey Kaitie!

      Awesome questions. The more I read this book the more I appreciate its incredible depth. I find I pick up a lot of books and think to myself “well, the author tried to make that meaningful” but it feels forced. Something that still kicks me in the ass whenever I read this novel is how naturally King infuses meaning into the plot. It’s filled with so much satire, symbolism and history that I feel like there’s fifty different themes that characterize this novel. Whether you’re looking at it from a colonial perspective, a feminist perspective, a media critique etc. you’ll find meaning that just proliferates with each read.

      Yet despite it being my third read, I feel like I’ve only started to unlock this novel. I have to admit that it feels pretty cool to study it again for the third time because I feel like Green Grass Running Water will be one of those special novels that is studied for centuries. Whether you’re reading it for a Canadian history class, an English class or a theory class you’ll be able to take something extremely valuable from this novel.

      Cheers!
      Hailey

  4. Hi Hailey,
    I had a similar impression of Coyote being a character that traverses realities and stories (even those of different cultures). When you mention his fluidity I tied it to his ability to alter his appearance as well, he can take on any role, or narrative. Coyote also shares many qualities with the trickster archetype in many other societies as well (he exists in many stories, in many different forms). The example of one of the holes in Western history and beliefs is a great one. In addition, I also agree with your understanding of Coyote as having the power to alter a stories believability, and thus the attachment of the reader to the idea that these stories are without fault. I relate Coyote to Dionysus/Bacchus as being a character that mocks norms, and reverses roles and realities so that the reader/audience can gain a different perspective. Through an altered perspective they can gain an understanding of the faults, the history, and the consequences of the norms.

    Cheers,

    Landon

  5. Hi Hailey! Sorry for the late comment. I also did mine on this question, but focused mostly on Coyote’s role as representing balance and circle in his creations, which you briefly mentioned above, “That being said, Coyote seems to be associated with new beginnings, do-overs and retellings. ” It’s basically what I said and I’m thrilled someone saw him as the same. I find King’s writing of Coyote as the symbol of cycle, like you said, new beginnings and do-overs. Especially whenever he creates something, he ends up destroying it himself (rain, storm, earthquakes, the dam). His creation destroys that then creates a new start. It rains but then the sun comes out and a new adventure befalls on the gang again. For me, that’s how I perceived his character. But like you said, even my interpretation barely covers Coyote’s entire role in King’s book. His function is so complex and multi-layered that it’s hard to simply pinpoint him as one description or to assign him as one role in such a wide, wide world.
    I’m curious to know how you see Coyote’s good and bads, meaning he does create something but it does result in a consequence – he creates the earthquake but destroys the dam. Do you believe that it’s the symbol of a cycle? Or that Coyote’s mischievous attitude simply has negatively affects the powers he can produce and that’s simply it?

    Your reading surely shone a light on other spaces I couldn’t write about, so thanks for your post!

    Angela Olivares

    • Hey Angela!

      To shed light on your question: I think that King engages Coyote’s mishaps in such a way that demonstrates the significance of balance. I know that Aboriginal culture values balance, particularly in nature. Newton’s third law of motion even states that “every action has an equal and opposite reaction” demonstrating the existence of balance even in science. Coyote, while he’s certainly “powerful” to some degree, is not exempt from any ripple effect his actions might have because that would interrupt balance in the universe.

      Cheers!
      Hailey

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