Student Question

Identify and explain an effective simile on page 38 of Medicine River.

Quick answer:

An effective simile in Medicine River describes Harlen Bigbear as "[L]ike the prairie wind. You never knew when he was coming or when he was going to leave." This simile effectively captures Harlen's dynamic and restless nature, highlighting his deep involvement in community life and his connection to the natural landscape. It reflects his incorrigible restlessness and his integral role within the community, akin to the ever-present and moving prairie wind.

Expert Answers

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The ebook version of Medicine River that I have has a very vivid simile on page 20, which I think might be the one you're referring to.

Here, Will Sampson's best friend, Harlen Bigbear is described as being "[L]ike the prairie wind. You never knew when he was coming or when he was going to leave." This is a particularly effective simile because it gives us an insight into Harlen's character and what kind of person he is.

Harlen is someone deeply involved in all aspects of community life. He's one of those people who makes it his business to know everyone else's business. That being the case, there's a sense in which he's almost become part of the natural landscape, just like the prairie wind in the simile. The Blackfoot pride themselves on their connection to the land of their ancestors, and Harlen exemplifies this connection.

At the same time, Harlen's also a very dynamic character—certainly a good deal more dynamic than Will. He's a restless soul, always striving to make things happen and to do something new with his life. And his incorrigible restlessness calls to mind once again the prairie wind, which never settles, but, like Harlen, is always moving.

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