Green Grass Running Water

Thomas King’s Green Grass Running Water has many pop-cultural and biblical allusions throughout the novel. In parts three and four of the novel these allusions are evident and help contribute to the story.

Throughout the novel Thomas King uses the pop-cultural allusion by using John Wayne references and it is evident in part three (P.321). This contributes to the story because John Wayne is a Hollywood actor, which gives the reader a sense of what Hollywood is like. The choice of the actor John Wayne is also an ideal charecter because he is famous in Western films therefore making Portland a more believable western film actor.

Biblical allusions are also used many times throughout the novel and in part three King reenacts Virgin Mary’s meeting Arch Angel Gabriel. In King’s version the character Thought Woman meets A.A. Gabriel who tells Thought Woman that she has to sign her “Virgin verification form” to have the “baby” on page 270. The biblical allusion contributes to the story because it shows King’s humor whilst creating a parody of the meeting between Virgin Mary and Arch Angel Gabriel.

The second pop-cultural allusion is the use of the three cars throughout the novel and this is evident in part three on page 284, when Alberta’s car goes missing. Her car along with two other cars go missing as well. The three cars are the red Pinto, The blue Nissan, and the white Karmann-Ghia . These cars are used to symbolize Christopher Columbus’ ships that he used to travel which are the Niña, Pinta, and Santa Maria. King does this to show irony in the novel because Columbus traveled on these ships to America and would steal the native’s land. In Green Grass Running Water King illustrates natives stealing the three cars that represent Columbus’ ships, creating irony in the story.

Throughout Green Grass Running Water the story of creation is told many times and King puts a twist on many biblical stories to add humor to the novel. ‘ “In the beginning, there was nothing.” “Nothing?” “That’s right,” says Coyote. “Nothing.” “No,” I says. “In the beginning, there was just the water.”…’ (p.431) This quote demonstrates King’s parody to the story of creation.
On page 235 Dr.Hovaugh and Babo see a bright morning star in the sky. This is an allusion to the biblical story, the Star of Bethlehem, where the Star of Bethlehem guides Mary and Joseph to where they should have their child. This contributes to the story because in King’s Green Grass Running Water it is a bright morning star that guides Babo and Dr. Hovaugh to their destination.

… “Earthquake,” yelled Clifford Sifton. “Earthquake,” yelled Bill Bursum. “Earthquake,” yelled Dr. Joseph Hovaugh. “Earthquake, Earthquake!” yells Coyote “Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee.” (410-411) This Quote from the novel exposes Coyote for what he is, free-spirited troublemaker. Throughout the novel coyote’s actions and dialogue have shown us that his personality could be described as care free and silly. When Coyote causes the earthquake he begins to laugh this shows that he is a troublemaker for causing the earthquake. He is careless and free-spirited because after causing this unnatural disaster he begins to laugh.
From pages 239-241 Lionel has an epiphany. Lionel becomes depressed and embarrassed about many aspects in his life. He wants to change it all so he can stop living what he believes is an inadequate life and become happy and successful. This is best represented when he says, ‘ “Today,” he shouted at the mirror, “Today things change.” ’ (P.240) This quote from Lionel shows the reader that although Lionel had always dreamed about becoming successful, he has put it off for a long time. When he shouts in the mirror it demonstrates his new found will to persevere and to take action.

“The Indian who couldn’t go home. It was a common enough theme in novels and movies. Indian leaves the traditional world of the reserve, goes to the city, and is destroyed. Indian leaves the traditional world of the reserve, goes to the city, and is destroyed. Indian leaves the traditional world of the reserve, is exposed to white culture, and becomes trapped between two worlds. Indian leaves the traditional world of the reserve, gets an education, and is shunned by his tribe. Indians. Indians. Indians.” (286). This accurately shows Eli’s uncertainty on what life he wants to live. It also shows that he fears that he won’t be accepted by either the white culture or the Indian culture.(The white culture for being a traditional Indian and the Indian culture for leaving the reserve and adapting to white culture). This passage best describes Eli’s insecurities and how he wants change.

Three Day Road

There is the explosion and the kick. As the smoke clears, I see that the rifle that I aimed above is now lying on the ground at an angle. The knowledge slowly sinks in. As I peer through the scope for movement, I know there won’t be any.(129)

I chose this quote because it accurately depicts when Xavier shoots and kills the German sniper. This scene is important because it is the first time Xavier has taken someone else’s life. Even in the face of danger he hesitated and only when his instincts took over did he take the shot. This is also important because the Hun sniper who has been haunting Xavier and Elijah is now dead and Sean Patrick’s death has been avenged. Both men desperately wanted to seek revenge for the death of their friend. What Xavier didn’t realize is that revenge isn’t as sweet as it seems.

This scene is important to the book because it leads to the distancing of the relationship between Xavier and Elijah. Xavier cannot see how Elijah can possibly take pleasure in killing others. Xavier grows tired of having to kill and as a result loses his will to participate in battle. He no longer cares about much else but to return to his home, a peaceful harmonious culture, but instead he has to remain in a foreign war torn land fighting battles he does not want to.

A moveable Feast

Caption: Quiet evening in Lyon

Caption: Janet Flanner and Sylvia Beach in front of “Shakespeare and Company”

Sylvia Beach opened an English bookstore in Paris named Shakespere and Company. Ernest Hemingway decided he wanted to borrow some books. The woman who was helping him was Sylvia beach. Ernest gave a brief description of her physical appearance than says, “…she was king, cheerful and interested, and loved to make jokes and gossip. No one that I ever knew was nicer to me” (35). When Ernest realized he didn’t have enough money to borrow books and become a member, but Sylvia allowed him to take as many books as he liked and he could pay her back whenever it was convenient for him. This demonstrates Sylvia Beach’s generosity and kindness even to someone she knows nothing about. This is evident in the novel when Ernest said, ”There was no reason for her to trust me. She did not know me and the address I had given her,74 rue Cardinal Lemoine, could not have been a poorer one. But she was delightful and charming and welcoming…”(35). Sylvia also invites Ernest and his wife over for dinner after they have small talk, which also contributes to her friendly attitude.

The place that I would like the most to visit would be Lyon so far. Ernest describes Lyon as a town that is “…heavily alive since early mourning.”(160) and “…not a very cheerful town at night.” I like this because it allows you to be more engaged during the day with the hustle and bustle of the town, which allows you to become more in-touch with the culture in that town. I like the fact it is quiet at night because after a long day of the busyness and what not, the peacefulness and calmness of the night would allow me to be in a really relaxed mood. Another reason I would like to visit Lyon is the chicken. Ernest said, “For years I had heard about the wonderful chicken in the restaurants there…” (159)Myself being a big fan of chicken would be eager to taste Lyon’s chicken to see if it is as good as people make out to be because I have heard that chicken is good there once before. I also wouldn’t mind trying some of this white Mâcon wine because Ernest makes it sound exquisite.

Independent Reading Blog: “Boy In The Moon” by Ian Brown

Independent Reading Blog: “Boy In The Moon” by Ian Brown

A) Comment on Ian Brown’s impressions of the L’Arche communities in Montreal and in France that he visits. (Chapters 11 and 12) Provide specific support by quoting the book directly.

Ian Brown opens Chapter eleven with saying, “As long as someone loves him every day” (184) than he goes on to say he is pondering about who will take care of Walker once him and his wife pass on. In the spring of 2008 he receives a letter from Jean-Louis Munn, the communications director of the Canadian branch of L’Arche. The letter asked to have a meeting in Montreal at the Verdun branch of L’Arche. When he arrives he sees that the a mass was being held in a church basement and he says, “L’Arche had been founded on Catholic precepts (Another reason I had avoided L’Arche as a possibility for Walker, though the organization has since widened its spiritual foundation)”(187) as he continues his tour he begins to realize that even though it was a mass, it wasn’t about the religious aspect but the togetherness of L’Arche and the caring community. Six weeks later Ian gets on a plane to meet Jean Vanier at the community of L’Arche in France. While Ian was visiting he prepared plenty of questions to ask Vanier; the answers he receives showed Vanier’s brilliant beliefs and ideas. Ian’s ideas change after the words of wisdom from Vanier and Ian goes on to say, “Vanier believed the disabled deserved a place of their own, that they often wanted to live apart from their families and parents if they could find a sufficiently supportive environment. That was n idea I thought I could get behind. He also insisted that the disabled were capable of teaching the able-bodied more than the able- bodied could ever teach them. If Vanier was right, I didn’t have to feel so bad about letting walker live his life at least to some degree on his own” (196) He then argues with Vanier that Walker should be treated as a human being not as a disabled human being. He also says Walker has the ability to teach everyone something about themselves but than goes on to say that, “Whether that will happen is another story” (Pg 211). In the end Ian agrees with Vanier’s vision, this is evident when he says, “I went to France because I wanted to see if there was a graceful meaningful way for Walker to live in this world… a community and family he might call his own, even- this was the most radical notion- a liberty and a freedom he could claim…. Walker’s life had some value. It seemed it did for me. Vanier said it did” (pg 226)


B) Describe what you have learned about life with a profoundly disabled child. How has Brown’s memoir altered/clarified your attitude?

Before I read Ian Brown’s “The Boy In The Moon ” I thought all a disabled child was having a life filled with sadness and burden. But after reading Brown’s memoir it changed my whole perspective on a disabled child in the family. Even though at times a disabled child can be a burden, but at the same time a disabled child can bring out the best of people and bring happiness. I would never have learned this eye opener about life with a disabled child without the help of his memoir. The memoir has made me value the life that I have more than I did before because Ian shown me the hardships of having a mental child in the family.
C) Provide three questions for Ian Brown.

1.) If you had known all the possibilities and what L’Arche had to offer at the beginning of Walker’s life do you think it would have changed the way you treated him and the way you thought about the value of his life?

2.) If Walker woke up this morning and was able to speak intelligently and was able to hold a steady conversation what would you talk to him about if you only had half an hour?

3.) Did you feel like you were depriving Walker of a chance to experience the world on his own all those years when you met with Mr. Vanier? Would you have gone back and made a change in the way you raised Walker if so?