Essay #2
In the prose text Little Bull, Blair Yoxall uses references to the passage of time to draw attention to the aspects of morality that are mutable, as well as the inertia that is characteristic of others. In providing this perspective on the relationship between time and morality, Yoxall is able to demonstrate how the aspects of an individual’s morality that have the greatest tendency to change are those for which they will be held accountable by external sources. Accordingly, the exhibition of resistance to the development in moral standards is observed when accountability is no longer a factor. Therefore, the “moral compass” of an individual is calibrated based on the expectation of consequences for that individual, rather than …show more content…
Consequently, certain events in this text also depict the result of a lack of external accountability on the trajectory of an individual’s morality as time passes. For example, even with Jaxon’s limited experience in Calgary, he has developed an aversion to the city because “people look at [him] weird” (page 1). The reader is also given information pertaining to common behavior in his time period when Jaxon and Kokum consider it to be noteworthy that there could be a place where “you can eat all the moose meat you want and people don’t look weird at you” (page 3). The most outstanding example, however, is the behavior of the couple at Henderson Lake. Attention is drawn to this particular even due to the significant shift in tone. Throughout the story, Jaxon’s attitude is innocent, optimistic and cheerful. DESCRIBE SHIFT. The interaction between Jaxon, Kokum and the couple at Henderson Lake delivers important insight into the true moral compass of individual members of this society that appears to have made progress in terms of morality and the treatment of Indigenouspeople. Comments such as, “get that kid a haircut! You’re just inviting him to get made fun of when he looks like a girl” (page 17), reveal the same cultural discrimination that prevailed in Mosom’s residential school, because he is suggesting that Indigenouspeople should suppress their cultural identity whether or not this suppression is being enforced. These examples are significant because they all occur in a more personal setting, where the circumstances of the interactions are more conducive to a genuine assertion of beliefs since they are less likely to be held accountable for their actions in a private setting. As a result, the behavior of individuals in
In the prose text Little Bull, Blair Yoxall uses references to the passage of time to draw attention to the aspects of morality that are mutable, as well as the inertia that is characteristic of others. In providing this perspective on the relationship between time and morality, Yoxall is able to demonstrate how the aspects of an individual’s morality that have the greatest tendency to change are those for which they will be held accountable by external sources. Accordingly, the exhibition of resistance to the development in moral standards is observed when accountability is no longer a factor. Therefore, the “moral compass” of an individual is calibrated based on the expectation of consequences for that individual, rather than …show more content…
Consequently, certain events in this text also depict the result of a lack of external accountability on the trajectory of an individual’s morality as time passes. For example, even with Jaxon’s limited experience in Calgary, he has developed an aversion to the city because “people look at [him] weird” (page 1). The reader is also given information pertaining to common behavior in his time period when Jaxon and Kokum consider it to be noteworthy that there could be a place where “you can eat all the moose meat you want and people don’t look weird at you” (page 3). The most outstanding example, however, is the behavior of the couple at Henderson Lake. Attention is drawn to this particular even due to the significant shift in tone. Throughout the story, Jaxon’s attitude is innocent, optimistic and cheerful. DESCRIBE SHIFT. The interaction between Jaxon, Kokum and the couple at Henderson Lake delivers important insight into the true moral compass of individual members of this society that appears to have made progress in terms of morality and the treatment of Indigenouspeople. Comments such as, “get that kid a haircut! You’re just inviting him to get made fun of when he looks like a girl” (page 17), reveal the same cultural discrimination that prevailed in Mosom’s residential school, because he is suggesting that Indigenouspeople should suppress their cultural identity whether or not this suppression is being enforced. These examples are significant because they all occur in a more personal setting, where the circumstances of the interactions are more conducive to a genuine assertion of beliefs since they are less likely to be held accountable for their actions in a private setting. As a result, the behavior of individuals in