As a child, a multitude of things are either black or white, and there is no room for further contemplation on the matter. As one progresses in life, they begin to discover grey areas and understand that everything has the capacity to be both good or bad depending on the given circumstances. In Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, duality is heavily demonstrated in Saul’s life through his experiences with Father Leboutilier and playing with the Moose. This aspect of his life effects Saul both negatively and positively, and the outcomes of these incidents greatly influence him throughout his journey.
Meeting Father Leboutilier completely changes Saul’s life for the better and the worse. At a young age, in an unfamiliar place he fears, Father Leboutilier bestows Saul with a sense of security …show more content…
Jerome’s while keeping in mind that he always has the support of Father Leboutilier. On the other hand, Saul also experiences major trauma during his stay at St. Jerome’s which leads to the destruction of Saul’s ability to form meaningful relationships with others. Saul is undergoing the process of healing with the help of Ervin Sift when he says, “As I sat there drinking I thought about how much I actually owed Erv, how much I owed him the truth about me, of where I’d been, what I’d done, the whole shebang. There was a part of me that really wanted to do that. There was a part of me that desperately wanted to close the gap I felt between myself and people. But there was a bigger part that I could never understand. It was the part of me that sought separation. It was the part of me that simmered quietly with a rage I hadn’t ever lost, and a part of me that knew if the top ever came off of that, then I would be truly alone. Finally. Forever.” (187). Saul is unable to break through the barriers of his painful past that confine him because of his fear of trusting others and trusting himself. His ability to connect with others has been
Meeting Father Leboutilier completely changes Saul’s life for the better and the worse. At a young age, in an unfamiliar place he fears, Father Leboutilier bestows Saul with a sense of security …show more content…
Jerome’s while keeping in mind that he always has the support of Father Leboutilier. On the other hand, Saul also experiences major trauma during his stay at St. Jerome’s which leads to the destruction of Saul’s ability to form meaningful relationships with others. Saul is undergoing the process of healing with the help of Ervin Sift when he says, “As I sat there drinking I thought about how much I actually owed Erv, how much I owed him the truth about me, of where I’d been, what I’d done, the whole shebang. There was a part of me that really wanted to do that. There was a part of me that desperately wanted to close the gap I felt between myself and people. But there was a bigger part that I could never understand. It was the part of me that sought separation. It was the part of me that simmered quietly with a rage I hadn’t ever lost, and a part of me that knew if the top ever came off of that, then I would be truly alone. Finally. Forever.” (187). Saul is unable to break through the barriers of his painful past that confine him because of his fear of trusting others and trusting himself. His ability to connect with others has been