The novel did not focus only on
the two characters Elijah and Xavier and their experiences in war. It also
shared with us Aboriginal culture, such as the substitution of English words
with Aboriginal words. As I was reading about the aboriginal woman who ate her
husband out of hunger, I began to wonder about the culture clash that the
author has presented. The father of Elijah’s aunt killed the Aboriginal woman
as punishment but the father of Elijah’s aunt is locked up because he killed
the woman. So this leaves me with the question of who is really at fault? Is
there anything wrong with killing a woman who has gone against her morals and
ate her husband? But is there anything wrong with eating a man out of natural
survival instincts? The author has presented to us two opinions and ideologies while
at the same time he illustrates how serious the consequences of a culture clash
may be.
It is quite a horrifying prospect to eat another human's body. The "cannibals" were looked with distaste. However the question here is does eating another human being due to necessity of survival can be considered real "cannibalism"?
ReplyDeleteThe reason for Niska's father's imprisonment was due to two different sets of laws existing at the same time. The Aboriginals conform to their own set of laws while the "wemistikoshiw" follow another different set of laws. The clashes between these two differing absolutes is what sparked friction between these two communities.
Wow your book sounds gruesome!!! Cannibalism? Really? I hope you aren't scared for life by this... Is the rest of the book like this too?
ReplyDelete