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Chapter 16
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Moon of the Crusted Snow, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Technology, Society, and Survival
Colonialism, Oppression, and Trauma
Selfishness vs. Selflessness
Gender, Power, and Wisdom
Summary
Analysis
Sage smoke billows high and weaves through the crowd in the meeting room; there are almost 200 people there, and the mood is somber. The council members look worried—they’re uneasy about Scott’s arrival. Terry begins the meeting, explaining that Nick and Kevin have returned, and the room buzzes with excited murmurs. Terry explains that the blackout is widespread, but there’s enough fuel on the reserve to keep the power running through the winter. Their biggest concerns are water and food. The council will ration people based on what they already have and what more they need, so they’ll be making home visits over the next few days.
The unease among the council members about Scott’s arrival shows that many modern First Nations people are wary of non-indigenous outsiders, likely because of the trauma their people experienced under colonialist oppression in the past. The council reveals that they’re allocating rations based on people’s needs, meaning they’ll allocate the most food to the most vulnerable people, showing that their community-oriented values are guiding their choices. Meanwhile, the ceremonial sage smoke in the background symbolizes the council’s background of indigenous tradition, which guides their choices.
Themes
The room is eerily silent. Then, somebody asks why he should get fewer rations just because he worked hard all year to hunt food, while lazy people get food for free. Somebody else pipes up, but Walter stands up and silences the room. He calmly explains that nobody is getting special treatment—this is a crisis, and they need to act like a community and support one another. Then, Walter apologizes for yelling. Suddenly, an unfamiliar voice yells out that it’s okay. Everybody turns around: Scott is standing there. The crowd grows uneasy. Scott pumps his fist, saying that they’ll get through this together—but just then, somebody gets up to punch him.
Walter and Terry strongly believe that the best way to survive is by thinking as a community instead of selfishly. The people who grumble that they’ll get less of a share (even though they don’t actually need the rations as much as others) embody a selfish attitude. Such people think that hoarding resources will benefit them in the long run, but they’ll soon learn that this attitude will demoralize others and cause people to turn on them, actually making them suffer more.
Themes
Evan and Isaiah intervene while Walter attempts to calm the room, explaining that they’ve already met Scott and welcomed him into the reserve. Scott smiles breezily, making Evan’s skin crawl. Evan asks Scott what he’s doing, and Scott says that he was confused and thought he should come to the meeting, especially if he’s a part of the community. Evan reminds him that he’s not part of it yet—he has to contribute first, and then they’ll decide if he can stay. Scott grows tense and towers above Evan, but Evan reminds himself that Scott is stranded and vulnerable. Evan lightens his tone to relax the mood, suggesting that they start by getting to know each other.
Scott lies and pretends he was confused about the elders’ advice that he should keep a low profile at first. He’s intentionally disregarding their authority and overstepping his bounds by showing up, revealing that he trusts his own opinion more than the advice of the elders. Scott also uses his physical stature to intimidate Evan, revealing that he’s willing to leverage his physical strength to dominate others. Though Scott doesn’t know this yet, his attempts to establish authority by dismissing others’ advice and relying on his brute strength will ultimately backfire.
Themes
