ISP Blog Post 6

The literary theory that gave me the most insight on my novel Three Day Road was Post-Colonial. Colonialism was a very influential force in the setting and time period of the novel. Three Day Road is a historical fiction novel; therefore post-colonial literary criticism provides more information about the history that occurred before all the consequences that Boyden describes. I believe that it is essential to have background knowledge on European and First Nation relations to fully comprehend the aftermath of colonialism. The Europeans started to explore to the Americas and brought back riches in raw materials. The valuable raw materials brought back to Europe from North America were lumber, fish, furs and minerals. The French and the British claimed most of the territory in North America.  Other developed countries caught on to the idea of expanding their empires. Royalty would even fund expeditions once they realized how much money they could generate from obtaining colonies.

Readers must understand that the European countries were more technologically advanced then the Aboriginals. Europeans built large ships capable of long voyages across the ocean while the Aboriginals only had two-man canoes. Europeans brought steel tools that revolutionized Aboriginal life. But the Europeans brought a lot more negative materials than positive. This includes rum “a sly and powerful weapon” (46) and foreign disease that wiped out entire tribes. Since the Europeans were more technologically advanced they labeled themselves better than the barbaric Indians. The “useless bush Indians” (109) were claimed to have no connection with their Christian God by the Europeans who found it their duty to God to convert the Aboriginals. They would trick tribes to hand over their land creating an imbalance of power. Cultural genocide was committed when the Europeans attempted to erase all fragments of Aboriginal culture, language and religion.

            Canada’s history before World War One must be known to fully appreciate Canada’s dark and secretive history that Boyden attempts to uncover. Colonialism created several consequences that most Canadians don’t realize was a direct result of colonialism. Viewing Three Day Road from a post-colonial literary criticism point has allowed me to develop an effective thesis statement…. Joseph Boyden describes several negative ways Aboriginals were affected by the arrival of the wemistikoshiw in Three Day Road. Colonialism created several consequences due to the parent-child relationship between the Aboriginals and the Europeans. The actions of the Europeans aren’t well known in Canadian history due to their cruelty. Boyden successfully uncovers Canada’s dark history and provides a voice for the oppressed Aboriginals.

ISP Blog Post #5; Archetypal Literary Criticism

            Joseph Boyden uses several different symbols, images and archetypal figures in order for the reader to understand the novel deeper. Different Cree words are used to explain their culture. Elijah is a Trickster archetypal type while Niska is the Great Mother. There is a reoccurring pattern of the number 3. It is mentioned in the title and is referenced throughout the novel. Boyden uses symbolism by hiding deeper meanings behind fire, water, circles and the lynx.

            Some reoccurring words within Three Day Road are written in Cree. Windigo is a creature or spirit that can possess both human and beast characteristics. Niska is from a powerful Cree family with a long line of windigo killers. She tells Xavier that this trait has also been passed to him once she notices his hunting talent. When Niska says, “I am second to last in a long line of windigo killers. There is still one more” (48) she is referring to Xavier. Wemistikoshiw is the Cree word for white people. This word is used whenever Niska, Elijah or Xavier talk about the European settlers. Awawatuk means old hunters. They came to Niska for advice because “The awawatuk accepted that I was a natural extension of my father, the new limb through which my family’s power travelled” (131). Matatosowin is a sweat lodge where Niska and Xavier go to call for the spirits. It is a circular hut that is warmed like a sauna with hot stones. Ponenimin is asking for forgiveness. Xavier repeats this word over and over in the matatosowin “for killing his friend (Elijah) over there in that place (France)” (380). The Cree version strengthens Xavier’s plea because he is trying to connect to Elijah in a way that is disconnected with the war. Wawahtew is Cree for the Northern Lights. Ashtum means come with me. Niska’s wemistikoshiw lover uses the simple words he knows in Cree to lure her into his church in attempt to take away her windigo spirit. Boyden uses the translated Cree to effectively tie the non-chronological pieces of the plot together. When Elijah doesn’t speak to Xavier in Cree and uses English instead its because “their tongue is better for lies” (51).

            Elijah is an example of a trickster archetypal type. He is always joking around even in the middle of a war. He entertains all the soldiers with his fake British accent. Once he handed Xavier a piece of meat and “smiled his wicked little-boy smile. No. It’s human. German, to be exact” (310). This prank caused Xavier to spit out the meat only for Elijah to explain that it was just horsemeat. He was also daring during his time in the Residential School.  Elijah would make fun of the nuns who ran the school making the other children laugh. Punishment always follows Elijah’s pranks.

            Niska is an example of the Great Mother archetypal type. She displays the positive aspects of Mother Nature. She is associated life principle, nourishment and protection. Niska rescues her nephew from Residential school and teaches him how to survive in the bush strictly off the land. She also takes in Elijah once he is finished Residential School. When Xavier comes home from the war with one less leg he is in lots of pain and addicted to morphine. He only has small number of needles left so Niska tries to help by telling stories and calling the spirits for his behalf.

            The number three is mentioned more times than just the title. Xavier finds that the white men are obsessed with the number three. “There’s the front line, the support line, and the reserve line, for starters. There’s the infantry, the cavalry, and the artillery. Off the battlefield, there’s food, then rest, then women. In church, there’s the Father, Son, and Holy Ghost” (Drainie). Xavier also realizes the number three in his own culture. Niska taught Xavier that those who are dying must walk the three-day road to death, hence the title.

            Boyden uses symbolism of the lynx. Niska gives the boys the tooth of a lynx that would offer them “speed, invisibility and vision” (294) before they left for the war. The spirit of the lynx is always the first to appear in her shaking tent. Another common symbol within the novel is circles. “Life is in a circle…. You always come back, in one way or another, to where you have been before” (360). Circles have always been dominant in aboriginal cultures.

Works Cited

Drainie, Bronwyn. "Three Day Road." Quill and Quire. Web. 04 May 2015.

<http://www.quillandquire.com/review/three-day-road/>.