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 Flick’s reference guide on your reading list.

My section is pages 331 – 339, but I have adjusted it to be 330-40 so that it is an entire section (working from the 2007 print, not the 1993). There are a lot of names covered, so I decided to comprise a list of all of them, and then write on the ones which are the main characters of this section. You’re going to have to be patient with me for this! *Ahem* Just kidding, lists are the fun part….?

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Bill Bursum, The Indians, John Wayne, Richard Widmark, Lone Ranger, Ishmael, Robinson Crusoe, Lionel, Old Indians, Hawkeye, Eli, Charlie, Minnie, Coyote , Louie, Latisha, Ray, Al, the dead dog cafe, Cynthia, Sun Dance, Blossom, Harley, Latisha’s mother, Aunt Norma, Latisha’s ex-husband George, Latisha’s father, Four older women, Mrs. Potts, Latisha’s son Christian, Alberta.

Phew, okay now that that is done (it’s okay, you don’t have to tell me that you didn’t read that part) lets get on to the fun stuff!

In this part of King’s novel Green Grass Running Water, we are primarily between the Dead Dog Cafe and flash backs to Latisha and Georges honeymoon at Sun Dance (334-340). The main characters in this section are the names which I will be looking into!

Latisha: Name of African-American descent. Which is very interesting as Latisha is from the Blackfoot Tribe (131).

Louis, Ray, & Al: “Louis, Ray, Al, a pun on Louis Riel” (Flick 161).

Additionally, “Métis leader, founder of Manitoba, central figure in the Red River and North-West resistances (born 22 October 1844 in Saint-Boniface, Red River Settlement; died 16 November 1885 in Regina, SK)” (Canadian Encyclopedia)

Bill Bursum (or Billy): “King combines the names of two men famous for their hostility to Indians. Holm O. Bursum (1867-1953) was a senator from New Mexico who advocated the exploration and development of New Mexico’s mineral resources. With his eye on the map of New Mexico, he proposed the infamous Bursum Bill of 1921, which aimed to divest Pueblos of a large portion of their lands and to give land title and water rights to non-Indians… The Buffalo Bill part of the name refers to William R Cody (1846-1917), an exploiter of Indians for entertainment in BuffaloBill Cody’s Wild West Show” (Flick 148).

George: A very European name. Highlights George’s ‘whiteness’ in comparison to others in the story.

Dead Dog Cafe: “Part of the jokes about traditional Blackfoot cooking and tourists’ desire for the exotic…. Also refers to starving Indians having to eat their dogs. Possibly a play on Nietzsche’s assertion that ‘God is Dead‘ [RR]. Note that Thomas King’s Dead Dog Café Comedy Hour (CBC 1996-) is a ‘spinoff'”(Flick 149). 

Sun Dance: A religious festival lasting 4-8 days. 

Blossom: “The setting, a town in Alberta. Blossom is also featured in King’s One GoodStory,That One; see ‘How Corporal Colin Sterling Saved Blossom, Alberta, and Most of the Rest of the World.’… The name suggests natural beauty and regeneration, as well as the smallness of the town” (Flick 147).

What I found interesting about this assignment, is that names have meaning and King was very intentional about his. The tension between Latisha and George is not only in their relationship, but also in their names. When you say the two together, you can ‘feel’ as if they do not belong – emphasized by the troubles in their marriage.

The Dead Dog Cafe was also an engaging narrative choice. We not only have the religious component to it “God is Dead” but also the cultural reference to Indians (pardon my usage of the word) who were starving choosing to eat their dogs. Additionally, one wonders what sort of establishment it as the name makes it sound like it would not be an appealing place to eat, yet people seem to go there.

The Sun Dance festival was also an very telling place for King to choose Latisha and George to have their honeymoon. Not only does the reader experience the cultural differences between the couple, but also Georges lack of understanding/caring towards Latisha’s culture. All he wants to know is if the Teepee door locks so that they can have sex (King 337)- yet the Sun Dance festival is a religious one “dedicated to showing the continuity between life and death” and emphasizes an equality between all things natural (see Sun Dance hyperlink).

Finally, King’s play on names with Bill Bursum and Louis, Ray & Al demonstrates a respect for both the historic and oral traditions. With Bill Bursum’s name, one is required to look up its meaning, but with Louis, Ray and Al, all one has to do is say their names out loud to get it (and have attended your high school’s socials/history class during the Canadian portion)!

King’s novel Green Grass Running Water asks us to actively engage with the text – not just read through it. He blends together both the oral and written traditions, and has created an exciting story for us to work with.

Works Cited

“Buffalo Bill.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Buffalo_Bill>.

“BURSUM, Holm Olaf – Biographical Information.” BURSUM, Holm Olaf – Biographical Information. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://bioguide.congress.gov/scripts/biodisplay.pl?index=b001144>.

Cherry Blossom Trees. N.d. Images4.fanpop. Web. 15 Mar. 2015. <http://images4.fanpop.com/image/photos/19800000/Cherry-Blossom-Tree-trees-19838733-750-500.jpg>.

“God Is Dead, Nietzsche Is Dead” N.d. Flikr, n.p.

“Louis Riel.” The Canadian Encyclopedia. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/louis-riel/>.

“Meaning, Origin and History of the Name Latisha.” Behind the Name. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.behindthename.com/name/latisha>.

“Meaning, Origin and History of the Name George.” Behind the Name. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://www.behindthename.com/name/george>.

“Places: Blossom, Alberta, Canada.” Blossom, Alberta, Canada. N.p., n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <https://www.librarything.com/place/Blossom,+Alberta,+Canada>.

“Sun Dance.” Sun Dance. N.p., n.d. Web. 15 Mar. 2015. <http://www.crystalinks.com/sundance.html>.

“The Dead Dog Café Comedy Hour.” Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, n.d. Web. 16 Mar. 2015. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Dead_Dog_Caf%C3%A9_Comedy_Hour>.

What are the major differences or similarities between the ethos of the creation story you are familiar with and the story King tells in “The Truth About Stories” ?

King tells two creation stories in The Truth About Stories, since his second story is the biblical version ( the story I am familiar with) I will focus on his first story – A nosy woman.

A Casual Paraphrase….

His story is about a woman called Charm who is very curious. As she goes about her day, she encounters things (toes, moose etc) and is told she shouldn’t be so curious. There is no apparent ‘consequence’ to her curiosity, until she meets badger who tells her to not dig too deep and to not blame him if she makes a mistake. Charm, of course, does dig too deep and falls through the sky. She lands in the ocean where she meets a bunch of animals who try and figure out what to do with her. She asked them if they can get her some mud, and so otter dives down to the bottom of the ocean and brings up some. Charm then creates land, and some animals live on it with her. She then births her twins, who go around the earth creating trees, mountains, water falls, valleys and, finally, humans.

Similarities and Differences between the Ethos of the Two Stories

So, the creation story that I grew up with and still hold to be true is the Christian story of Creation. I shall be comparing the story of Charm to it. I believe that the creation story is in fact of a Hebrew Poetry genre and so that opens up my analysis for some metaphorical and not strictly literal interpretation (this is a funny video that always comes to mind when I say literal or literally…). Although I do believe in a God who could easily create a world in 7 days, 1 hour, 1 sec (you catch my drift) I think that the authors of Genesis wanted us to experience the awe-some-ness of creation rather than the technicalities. 

What I found interesting about these two experiences of a creation narrative is how the story of Charm already has animals (who talk!!!!!) in existence before land and vegetation, whereas the Christian story is a play-by-play of how everything in this world builds on each other. When it comes to the experience with an animal before each character’s fall, we have a snake who tempts Eve and Adam and we have the badger who warns Charm.

When we compare the consequences we see that Charm literally falls, whereas Eve and Adam spiritually fall. Additionally,  Charm’s story continues with the creation of the earth coming from her fall, whereas Adam and Eve’s story ends and the biblical narrative of the redemption of humankind begins. Charms curiosity can be parallel to the tree in the garden, but instead of it being a rule and a sign of man’s freewill, animals just tell her that she shouldn’t be curious.

It is amazing how these two narratives, although quite different, share the similar principle that the rejection of the rules set out to make us thrive have consequences – big or small.

So reader, what do you think?

Works Cited

“Genesis 1 Is Hebrew Poetry.” YouTube. YouTube, 6 Dec. 2013. Web. 09 Mar. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnerB4Wwk_Y>.

“Key & Peele – You Can Do Anything.” YouTube. YouTube, 26 Sept. 2012. Web. 09 Mar. 2015. <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nlD9JYP8u5E>.

King, Thomas. The Truth About Stories: A Native Narrative. Peterbough:Anansi Press. 2003. Print.