Surname 1
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
Saul the Survivor
Saul’s story in the Novel, Indian Horse, portrays him as a resilient and mentally
disciplined person since he navigates numerous probes as tendencies that would have broken
someone his age. Indian Horse was authored by Richard Wagamese, who wrote and published
the Novel in 2012, setting the storyline scene in Northern Ontario in the late 1950s. The story
follows the early years of Saul as he grew up and had to endure several obstacles in life to
achieve his life goals as an indigenous person in Canada. One of the most predominant themes in
Indian Horse is resilience. Therefore, the discussion will provide evidence from the book to
indicate how Saul resilient and persevering Saul was to term him as a survivor. Saul is termed a
survivor because of his self-discovery, ability to hide his emotions, and acceptance of his abuse
and trauma. Saul’s resilience and perseverance explain indigenous people’s struggles in a world
governed and dominated by the non-indigenous population.
Saul is considered a survivor because of his self-discovery. Self-discovery is the notion
that one realizes there true self in terms of origin, value, beliefs, and needs. Since the Indian
Horse revolves around his struggles, the fact that he realizes his worth indicates that he is a
survivor in a world that may be against him. Wagamese narrates, ‘Saul stepped onto the ice, and
the abandoned Ojibwe kid clutched in the frozen arms of his grandmother’ (83). These events
transpired when Saul stepped on the ice rink to play Hockey with other older kids, beating the
odds that prevented him from associating with non-indigenous hockey players. He seems to
, Surname 2
connect with his dead grandmothers and realizes his worth and what he represents by mentioning
that he is an abandoned Ojibwe kid. Such impositions indicate that Saul is a survivor. Similarly,
when the Father tells Saul, ‘Hockey is like the universe, Saul… you have the spirit within you’,
he takes the words at heart (). Saul’s found love in Hockey shows his potential to overcome
challenges, and taking positive criticism from the Father indicates his resilience in waiting for a
chance to play the game. The motivation and passion Saul garners from the Father and his innate
abilities to play Hockey and overcome other obstacles indicate that he is a survivor. He survives
the negative criticism from fellow teammates but strives to participate in the game. Saul
mentions, ‘I was leaving the bush and the North behind. I didn’t think I needed them anymore.
The echoes of those I’d travelled with slid into the trees I was leaving behind.’ (103). Saul leaves
because he is fed up with the treatment he was subjected to in Manitouwadge. He discovers that
he is worth more than what he was enduring hence compacting the notion that he is a survivor.
Saul’s self-discovery indicates that he is a survivor since he faced numerous negativities
throughout his young adulthood in the hands of the non-indigenous people he was associating
with at school. He beat all the odds to become a proficient hockey player and left Manitouwadge
under immense pressure.
Saul’s ability to cope by keeping his emotions hidden through Hockey, alcohol, drugs
and violence indicates how he is a survivor. He used these implications to mask his emotions
toward life and remains strong while surviving the numerous negativities in his life. Wagamese
mentions, ' Saul uses the game to shelter himself from seeing the truth, from facing it every day’
(198). Wagamese explains that Saul uses Hockey as a muse and escape route for the emotions
and anguish during his time with the hockey team and the Father. The author insists that Saul
masks the emotions and trauma caused when he was raped by the Father by playing Hockey.
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
Saul the Survivor
Saul’s story in the Novel, Indian Horse, portrays him as a resilient and mentally
disciplined person since he navigates numerous probes as tendencies that would have broken
someone his age. Indian Horse was authored by Richard Wagamese, who wrote and published
the Novel in 2012, setting the storyline scene in Northern Ontario in the late 1950s. The story
follows the early years of Saul as he grew up and had to endure several obstacles in life to
achieve his life goals as an indigenous person in Canada. One of the most predominant themes in
Indian Horse is resilience. Therefore, the discussion will provide evidence from the book to
indicate how Saul resilient and persevering Saul was to term him as a survivor. Saul is termed a
survivor because of his self-discovery, ability to hide his emotions, and acceptance of his abuse
and trauma. Saul’s resilience and perseverance explain indigenous people’s struggles in a world
governed and dominated by the non-indigenous population.
Saul is considered a survivor because of his self-discovery. Self-discovery is the notion
that one realizes there true self in terms of origin, value, beliefs, and needs. Since the Indian
Horse revolves around his struggles, the fact that he realizes his worth indicates that he is a
survivor in a world that may be against him. Wagamese narrates, ‘Saul stepped onto the ice, and
the abandoned Ojibwe kid clutched in the frozen arms of his grandmother’ (83). These events
transpired when Saul stepped on the ice rink to play Hockey with other older kids, beating the
odds that prevented him from associating with non-indigenous hockey players. He seems to
, Surname 2
connect with his dead grandmothers and realizes his worth and what he represents by mentioning
that he is an abandoned Ojibwe kid. Such impositions indicate that Saul is a survivor. Similarly,
when the Father tells Saul, ‘Hockey is like the universe, Saul… you have the spirit within you’,
he takes the words at heart (). Saul’s found love in Hockey shows his potential to overcome
challenges, and taking positive criticism from the Father indicates his resilience in waiting for a
chance to play the game. The motivation and passion Saul garners from the Father and his innate
abilities to play Hockey and overcome other obstacles indicate that he is a survivor. He survives
the negative criticism from fellow teammates but strives to participate in the game. Saul
mentions, ‘I was leaving the bush and the North behind. I didn’t think I needed them anymore.
The echoes of those I’d travelled with slid into the trees I was leaving behind.’ (103). Saul leaves
because he is fed up with the treatment he was subjected to in Manitouwadge. He discovers that
he is worth more than what he was enduring hence compacting the notion that he is a survivor.
Saul’s self-discovery indicates that he is a survivor since he faced numerous negativities
throughout his young adulthood in the hands of the non-indigenous people he was associating
with at school. He beat all the odds to become a proficient hockey player and left Manitouwadge
under immense pressure.
Saul’s ability to cope by keeping his emotions hidden through Hockey, alcohol, drugs
and violence indicates how he is a survivor. He used these implications to mask his emotions
toward life and remains strong while surviving the numerous negativities in his life. Wagamese
mentions, ' Saul uses the game to shelter himself from seeing the truth, from facing it every day’
(198). Wagamese explains that Saul uses Hockey as a muse and escape route for the emotions
and anguish during his time with the hockey team and the Father. The author insists that Saul
masks the emotions and trauma caused when he was raped by the Father by playing Hockey.
