Identity is one of Thomas King’s primary concerns in Medicine River. Will Sampson, the protagonist, experiences conflicts around his biracial identity, having a white father and Native American Blackfoot mother. Residency regulations governing who could live on the Native American reservations shape his early life, and Will later moves from the United States to Canada. There, he pushes aside his Native American identity and became romantically involved with a white Canadian woman.
After Will’s mother, Rose, passes away, Will returns to Medicine River, where he grew up. Along with renewing his relationships with old friends such as Harlen, Will strengthens his community ties—both through shared activities such as sports and by addressing the role of Native American activism.
A turning point occurs as Will develops a romantic relationship with a Native American woman, Louise Heavyman. At the same time he learns more about his parents’ failed marriage, he is thinking ahead about his long-term plans with Louise. When they get together, she is pregnant with another man, with whom she is no longer involved. Will’s decision not only to stay with her but also to become a father to the baby is an important step toward resolving his family-related issues, as his own father had abandoned him, as well as accepting that Medicine River is his home.
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