Medicine River Questions and Answers
In chapter 1 of Medicine River, Rose takes the boys from Calgary to Medicine River. Why can they not live on the reservation, and why is that especially unfair to Rose as a woman? Who or what may be a symbol?
From Medicine River, address the following: Identify what you believe to be the major conflict in the novel. Explain what the conflict is over or between and who or what is involved. A theme is identified as a topic or subject. The novel deals with many topics, but what you learn about the topics is important to understanding the novel and what the author may be trying to teach us about people, society, life, government, etc. Identify one theme in the novel and explain what you learned as a result. As the narrator, Will uses humour to characterize Lionel James in a sympathetic way in Chapter 12. Give one example of humour that Lionel brings into one of his stories.
What are three themes found in the novel Medicine River by Thomas King?
In Medicine River, what important memories does Will have about his mother, father, and James that are important to his understanding of his own personal growth, his family, or life in general?
Who or what may be the symbol of the chapter 1 of Medicine River?
In chapter 13 of Medicine River, after Will tells Bertha what Harlen had said about her, she says, “You tell him to keep them opinions to himself.” But soon after, she asks, “What else did he say about me?” Are her comments ironic and, if so, is the irony verbal or situational?
Memories of taste, aroma, texture, sight, and orature (which means the oral transmission of narratives and customs) are evident in Medicine River, and thus it can be argued that Thomas King creates Will's identity by using one's five senses to examine the main protagonist's memory. Provide an example which supports this argument from chapters 7–12.
Thomas King creates a story of a little community to reflect a whole Native nation. In other words, the community in Medicine River represents all Native nations. Prove this statement is true by using an example from the novel.
In Medicine River, explain how some of what happened in the past shapes Will's decisions, including those he made in Toronto as a photographer.
At the end of chapter 13 of Medicine River, the author, via Will, states, “Louise said that she knew what Bertha meant. The truth of the matter, she told me, was that marriage wasalways more of a burden on women than on men, that women always had to take on extra weight, while men just fell into marriage as if they were falling into bed.” Providing an example from the novel, prove the above statement is true or false. Explain your reasoning.
What are three traits of Harlen Bigbear in Medicine River, and how does King convey these traits?
Thomas King creates a story of a little community to reflect a whole native nation. In other words, the community of Medicine River represents all native nations. Prove this statement is true while using one example from the novel. In The Truth about Stories, Thomas King says that a “return of the Native” story can involve “a sorting out, an ordering of relationships, memories, and possibilities, an attempt to come to terms with the past, an attempt to find a future” (117). In Medicine River, Will sorts out his own family memories in his attempt to find his future. What important memories does he have of his mother, father, and James that are important to his understanding of his own personal growth, his family or/and life in general? Humour contributes to the mood of Chapter 17. Provide one example of humour found in that chapter. In Chapter 15, while holding up the photos of Joyce’s family and Rose’s, Harlen says, “You and James look like someone sprayed you up and down with starch” (MR 206), because no one in the photo is smiling. Later, after tacking photos of the two families up on the wall, Will examines a recent photo and states, “I was smiling in that picture, and you couldn’t see the sweat” (207). Why does Will seem more relaxed and happy in the second and more recent photo?
In chapter 11, Joe Bigbear's character contrasts with Harlen's, bringing out some of Harlen's traits. On page 118, Joe shakes Will's hand crushingly and whispers loudly, "You shake hands like a damn Indian." This is very different from Harlen, who would not deliberately make someone physically uncomfortable. What are two other things Harlen would not do that Joe would or might do?
Who or what may be a symbol in Medicine River? Explain what the thing or person is a symbol of.
In Thomas King's Medicine River, Will gives South Wing, Louise's daughter, a Christmas present and a birthday present. What are the presents and what symbolic meaning do they have?
On page 205, in chapter 18, Louise comments about the David and Ray episode to Will: “All that over a jacket!” However, the symbolism of the red AIM (American Indian Movement) jacket makes it much more than just a jacket. Describe two things that it symbolizes or represents.
Write a brief character sketch of Jake Pretty Weasel from Medicine River.
In the chapter 5 counterpoint storyline about Rose and Erleen, the narrator of Medicine River provides foreshadowing. Identify the foreshadowing and explain what is foreshadowed.
What are archetypal characters in Medicine River?
In chapter 15 of Medicine River, while holding up the photos of Joyce's family and Rose's, Harlen says, "You and James look like someone sprayed you up and down with starch" (172), because no one in the photo is smiling. Later, after tacking photos of the two families up on the wall, Will examines a recent photo and states, "I was smiling in that picture, and you couldn't see the sweat" (173). Why does Will seem more relaxed and happy in the second and more recent photo?
In Medicine River, identify an effective simile about Mrs. Oswald in chapter 4 and explain why you consider it to be effective.
Examine character and their conflicts in Medicine River by Thomas King.
In chapter 12 of Medicine River, we learn about Lionel James’s past and that he now travels around the world. In fact, he recently travelled to Ottawa to a “big conference, you know, on Indians.” Then, while talking to Harlen, he adds, “People want me to talk about what it’s like to be an Indian. Crazy world. Lots of white people seem real interested in knowing about Indians. Crazy world.” Why do you think Lionel thinks that their wanting to know about Indians is crazy
Identufy an effective simile on page 38 of Medicine River, and explain why you consider it to be affective.
Which character in Medicine River by Thomas King do you sympathize with most? Name the character and explainwhy you sympathize with that character.
From the first six chapters of Medicine River, one could guess that Harlen is single. What do you learn about Harlen’s marital history in chapter 7, and how does his marital history contribute to your characterization of Harlen?
In the book Medicine River by Thomas King, memories of taste, aroma, texture, sight, and orature (which means the oral transmission of narratives and customs) are evident, and thus, it can be argued that Thomas King creates Will’s identity by using the five senses to examine the main protagonist’s memory. Provide an example that supports this argument.
Provide one example of how humor contributes to the mood of chapter 17 of Medicine River.
Provide two examples that demonstrate that Will is becoming or has become a father figure to South Wing.
In chapter 5 of Medicine River, in the counterpoint storyline about Rose and Erleen, the narrator provides foreshadowing. Identify the foreshadowing and explain what is foreshadowed.
Why does Will have a difficult time accepting Medicine River as his home?
What are six quotes in Medicine River that show that Harlen influences Will?
- What are the ironies in Medicine River and what type of ironies? - What is the main plot as well as sub plots in Medicine River? - What is the main theme?
In The Truth about Stories, Thomas King says that a “return of the Native” story can involve “a sorting out, an ordering of relationships, memories, and possibilities, an attempt to come to terms with the past, an attempt to find a future.” In Medicine River, Will sorts out his own family memories in his attempt to find his future. What important memories does he have of his mother, his father, and James that are important to his understanding of his own personal growth, his family, and/or life in general?
Compare Susan and Louise in the novel Medicine River.
In chapter 12, we learn about Lionel James’s past and that he now travels around the world, and that he recently travelled to Ottawa to a “big conference, you know, on Indians.” Then, while talking to Harlen, he adds, “People want me to talk about what it’s like to be an Indian. Crazy world. Lots of white people seem real interested in knowing about Indians. Crazy world.” Why do you think Lionel thinks that their wanting to know about Indians is crazy?
What is your opinion of the idea that significant people influence our lives?
Write a personal reflection on chapter 8 of Medicine River.
Write a personal reflection on chapter 9 of Medicine River.
What are the ironies in Medicine River?
From the first six chapters of Thomas King's novel Medicine River, one could guess that Harlen is single. What do you learn about Harlen’s marital history in Chapter 7, and how does his marital history contribute to your characterization of Harlen?
I am working on an essay about photographs as meaningful symbols in Thomas King's Medicine River. What do the photographs (and Will's attitude toward them) reveal about his character development? What scenes would be most important to comment on this?
What is the “bone game,” and what is its function in the novel Medicine River?
What is the significance of the title in Medicine River?
What are some quotes that show how Harlen influences Will in Medicine River?
Why is it important for David to remember the battle at Wounded Knee and be associated with the American Indian Movement in Medicine River?
What chapter in Medicine River speaks about how Will's mom couldn't go back to her ways because of the government and what chapter has a good example of colonialism?
Give four quotes that reveal the relationship between Will and Louise in Medicine River.
In the counterpoint storyline about Rose and Erleen in chapter 5 of Medicine River, the narrator provides foreshadowing. Identify the foreshadowing and explain what is foreshadowed.
In Thomas King's Medicine River, why is the word ?borrowed? in question marks between chapters 8-12?
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