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Micisow: Feeding
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Three Day Road, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Isolation vs. Community
Racism and Assimilation
Language and Storytelling
Nature, War, and Survival
Summary
Analysis
Winter in Lens is “quiet.” The Americans have entered the war, and the Germans have been pushed back to the Hindenburg Line. Rumors of a trench raid begin to circulate, and soon Xavier and Elijah are ordered “over the top” with McCaan and Thompson. They make it across “no man’s land” and through the German’s wire fence with ease. They go in different directions as the shell fire erupts, and Xavier quickly loses sight of them.
The Americans don’t enter the war until April 6, 1917, but Canada has been fighting since August of 1914. The Canadians are exhausted, and while they have won some key battles, they have suffered a tremendous loss of life. The Americans offer some much-needed respite.
Themes
“Sergeant McCaan!” Xavier yells as he sees movement on his left. Two Germans approach McCaan, who is on the ground. As Xavier watches, a German soldier draws a gun and shoots McCaan in the head. Xavier quickly moves back to the trenches and reports McCaan’s death to Breech. By dark, Elijah and Thompson still haven’t returned.
Sergeant McCaan’s death is huge loss, both to the unit and to Xavier personally. McCaan is one of only a handful of officers who doesn’t treat him terribly. He may ignore Xavier, but at least he doesn’t verbally abuse him like Breech does.
Themes
Elijah comes back late that night. “I had to hide out in a shell crater not ten yards away from their line all day!” he says to Xavier. “I dragged Thompson out just before Fritz arrived,” he says proudly. “McCaan is dead,” Xavier says. “I watched it happen.” Elijah stares. “I’m glad you’re alive,” he says.
Elijah has very little reaction to McCaan’s death. He has spent over a year living in close quarters with him, and barely flinches when he is killed, which is further evidence of his madness.
Themes
The next day, Xavier’s name is “shouted at mail call.” Xavier is shocked; he has never had mail before. “If only your heathen aunt [Niska] could write English,” Elijah always said at mail call. Xavier takes the letter to Fat and asks him to translate. “Is says here that you must return home,” Fat reads. “This is very difficult to read, X. There is no punctuation and the handwriting is childlike.” Fat continues. The letter says Xavier must return home because “he is the last in the family” and he “must raise a child” in the old way. “It says that God understands if you must kill Elijah,” Fat reads. “This is nonsensical, X. Kill Elijah! My word!”
Elijah takes every opportunity he gets to call Xavier a “heathen” and insult his inability to read and write English. Elijah is completely disrespectful and even insults Niska here, a woman kind enough to take Elijah in when he had nowhere else to go. Xavier asks Fat to read the letter, not Elijah, which suggests he is angry over Elijah’s insult. The confusion of the letter causes Xavier pain, but he nevertheless needs to hear that “God understands if [he] must kill Elijah.”
Themes
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The letter is signed by Joseph Netmaker, a man Xavier vaguely remembers. “There is no mention of my aunt [Niska]?” Xavier asks Fat. “No,” he says, “it clearly says that you are the last in your family.” Xavier is confused as he leaves Fat. “Come with me, X,” Elijah says and leads Xavier through the trenches. “I need a big favour from you.”
Xavier assumes that Niska is dead if he is the last one in his family, which seems to be the only reason why Joseph would write him in the first place. This confusion again underscores the power of language. Even when it is unintentional, language can do much damage.
Themes
“Let’s build a fire,” Elijah says to Xavier. Fires in the trench are rare since they give away positions. “I need to get it very hot,” Elijah says and hands Xavier a bone. Xavier is again confused. “Where did you find the shoulder blade of a bear?” he asks. “It’s not from a bear,” Elijah says. “It is a German.” He asks Xavier to “divine” for him.
Boyden never does say how Elijah gets the bone or how he knows it’s a German, but he likely didn’t just stumble across it. This too harkens to the cannibalism of the windigo legend—Elijah takes whatever human remains he wishes.
Themes
Xavier refuses. This is “different,” he says. “What is the difference?” Elijah asks. “To hunt is to hunt.” Xavier shakes his head. “I hunt for sustenance,” he says. “And so do I,” Elijah answers. “You are not yourself, Elijah,” Xavier says. “If you want me to divine for you where you can find Hun, […] I will. They are over there.” Xavier motions to the Hindenburg line and walks away.
This, too, suggests cannibalism. Elijah claims that he needs to hunt and kill to survive and that it gives him “sustenance.” Elijah metaphorically consumes the men he kills, and they alone are what nourishes him.
Themes
Xavier’s unit is sent for rest, and Xavier takes the time to construct a matatosowin. He climbs in the steam and prays but nothing comes. Xavier sits and thinks of Niska, and “it comes to him,” a “simple prayer.” “I want to hear. I want to see. I want to hear. I want to see,” Xavier whispers. “I want to see what I should do.” He pours water on the rocks one last time and climbs out.
Through constructing the matatosowin and conducting a sweat lodge ceremony, Xavier is using his power and identity as a hookimaw to ask for guidance from the manitous. The prayer comes to Xavier when he thinks of Niska because she too is a windigo killer.
Themes
“Something carries” Xavier toward the tent where Elijah sleeps. He enters and sits next to Elijah. Xavier opens Elijah’s bag and removes his morphine and a syringe. He draws back the syringe and places the needle in the bruised bend of Elijah’s elbow. “What are you doing?” Elijah says as he opens his eyes. “I am giving you medicine,” Xavier says. “I do not need more right now,” Elijah says and closes his eyes again. Xavier removes the needle and leaves the tent.
Obviously, Xavier goes to Elijah’s tent to kill him, but he can’t bring himself to go through with it. Xavier loves Elijah, and he is his best friend. The anguish Xavier must be experiencing knowing that he has to kill Elijah must be unbearable and is precisely why Xavier seems to have blocked it all out.
Themes
