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The most violent and terrible sort of power is coercion. Individuals utilize their knowledge in forcing others to do what they are not willing to do. In his work Green Grass, Running Water, Thomas King says that being able to embrace oneself with one’s social traditions may assist a human being in misguided aspects of living. Lionel has strayed from his tradition since he sells televisions, implying that he has lost touch with his Indian roots. This is according to Eli, who considers societal norms strange and unsuitable for Lionel because of his Indian background (Petkovic, 2017). Lionel had continually put off going to college or doing something constructive. Thus, he should embrace his identity as he never understands where he belongs due to his dream of becoming John Wayne, a character who has been the hero of the western world.
As a result, Lionel gaining his heritage with the assistance of four Indian deities is among the story’s primary themes. Ever since he first encountered these individuals, he thinks of them like the four old Natives who are a little stupid and chant off-key. However, they are goddesses from historic creation myths from the natives. These deities include First Lady, Changing Lady, Thought Lady, and Old Lady. Hence, they consecutively adopt the personalities of the Lone Ranger, Ishmael, Robinson Crusoe, as well as Hawkeye throughout the tale, demonstrating how Indigenous ideology wins over colonists’ myths (Petkovic, 2017). Similarly, Lionel must learn to be happy with his original culture, abandon his goal of becoming John Wayne, and return to the Indigenous circle to which he fits.
Lionel identifying himself and his individuality will enable him to reconnect spiritually and physically with the family, and no more sorrow will ever be experienced in the household again. This suggests that his link to his social community has indeed been severed, and he is incomplete with the absence of his racial identity. The story’s plot would change by him realizing his individuality in that the tale incorporates the past, current and prospective, mythological time, real-time, and personal experiences. Some of the main topics of Green Grass, Running Water is reinforcing Lionel’s local identity, societal and fictitious ties, and repositioning their connection with the characters’ time and location, as can be observed in the four times narrative’s recounting of the iterations.
Although Lionel Red Dog is unsure of his identity, he is confident that he aspires to be John Wayne. In being precise, he refers to the fictional John Wayne, a hero who never loses an encounter. White people appear to be succeeding in anything in the environment surrounding them. This is not only in films but also in employment, training, healthcare, and science. However, the reservations he hails from have issues like drunkenness and despair, which makes him feel embarrassed of his people. He would believe that the whites are not the only winners, but as an Indian, he too would be a winner by embracing his cultural identity. The book would still work as a story, but the aspect of someone wanting to have traits that are similar to those of heroes of the western world would not be seen.
Lionel questions the four elders on whether they will change the whole world. These individuals understand that massive reforms to inequitable systems require time but might not be achievable whatsoever. They subsequently speculate that the planet may be too fouled up ever to be fixed entirely. This demonstrates how older people, who already have lived for quite a long time and have witnessed history’s ebbs and flows, have more tolerance and judgment than youngsters such as Lionel. By changing and appreciating his identity, therefore, Lionel would understand the perspective of these elders.
References
Petkovic, J. (2017). Ethnic identity in Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water.Neohelicon, 44(1), 147-160. Web.
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