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Metaphors
Definition of Mood
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect of a piece of writing... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes in the reader. Every aspect... read full definition
The mood of a piece of writing is its general atmosphere or emotional complexion—in short, the array of feelings the work evokes... read full definition
Mood
Explanation and Analysis:
With its mix of tragedy and hope, Saul’s story captures the reader’s attention and holds it to the very last page. The novel is despairing, horrific, and uplifting, often providing its audience with ample reason for grief.
The misfortunes of Indian’s life deal one gut punch after another. He loses his younger brother Benjamin to tuberculosis, his parents, and his grandmother. Not only does he get forcibly enrolled in St. Jerome’s, but must endure Father Leboutilier’s abuse and Sister Ignacia’s sadistic punishments. Even after scaling the heights of local hockey fame, Saul suffers from racist heckling episodes and assault. He loses his place on the Leaf’s feeder club and succumb to alcoholism. Genocide, oppression, and humiliation form a combination that feels at times unbearable.
But Indian Horse pieces together a deeper sense of hope in the wake of the heartbreak, searching—and reaching—a chord that feels almost like strengthened resolve. Tragedies culminate to the point of catharsis. “I couldn't run the risk of someone knowing me, because I couldn’t take the risk of knowing myself,” Saul realizes as he drifts, drunkenly, through different jobs and towns. By the time he returns to Gods Lake, the novel secures a sense of clarity: “In the end, I learned the only one I could take care of was me,” Saul tells Virgil as they reflect on Father Leboutilier. Haunted by the cruelty of a world that hurt him, Saul finds renewed strength through letting go.
Related Themes:
