Medicine River | Medicine River

At a glance:

Author: Thomas King
First Published: 1989
Type of Plot: Social realism
Time of Work: The 1980’s
Setting: Alberta, Canada
Principal Characters: Will Sampson, Harlen Bigbear, Louise Heavyman, Rose Sampson, James Sampson, Jake Pretty Weasel, Susan Adamson, David Plume
Genres: Long fiction, Social realism
Subjects: Parents and children, Suicide, 1980’s, Native Americans or American Indians, Fathers, Multiculturalism, Canada or Canadians, Photography or photographers, Basketball
Locales: Alberta, Canada

The Novel

Medicine River chronicles the lives of a group of contemporary Native Americans in Western Canada. The novel is divided into eighteen short chapters. The story is recounted by the protagonist, Will Sampson, in an amiable, conversational fashion, with frequent flashbacks to earlier portions of his life.

The novel begins with an encounter between Will and Harlen Bigbear. Harlen is an entrepreneur who has set Will up in his own photography business. Harlen is Will’s best friend, but there is something unpredictable about him. Harlen is much more dynamic...

Medicine River | Medicine River

At a glance:

The Novel

Join eNotes