A good childhood is a fundamental aspect of a child's future; their happiness, health and how motivated they will be in life depends on how they were raised. A lack of proper nurturing may have dire effects. It is common for people to put up a front and act very confident, whilst truly having a very low self-esteem. People with a low self-esteem who have not been brought up correctly have a stronger possibility of being substance abusers. In Joseph Boyden's Three Day Road, Elijah Weesageechak lives a vastly troubled life, which ultimately leads to his demise. During the course of Elijah's life, he had not been properly nurtured at young age, he continually looks for approval from those around him, and he struggles with substance
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Children need to be nurtured and loved. According to an Encyclopaedia on Early Childhood Development, the first five years of a child's life are vital as they play a big role in shaping a child's future. Neurologically, the early years play a key role in children's brain development. Due to this, their bonds with their parents and all of their first experiences are imperative factors to who they will become. Elijah Weesageechak had spent the majority of his childhood in residential school. The Nuns had a negative outlook on Aboriginal beliefs which influenced and changed Elijah. He now laughs at the mention of Native spirituality and does not want to be associated with it. When Xavier mentions the similarity between covering his face in charcoal in to blend into the trenches for protection and smudging ceremonies he laughs, " .. It's what I call a Wemistikoshiw [White] smudging ceremony. Elijah laughs at me. No Indian religion for him" (Boyden137). Elijah is not in touch with his native culture due to his loss of family and cultural identity through being taken to residential school. Elijah is his Christian name that was given to him in school, he does not know his Aboriginal name. Xavier, his friend throughout the story also attended the residential school, but for a shorter period of time. He and Elijah both got severely beaten for drawing pictures, laughing, making
Children need to be nurtured and loved. According to an Encyclopaedia on Early Childhood Development, the first five years of a child's life are vital as they play a big role in shaping a child's future. Neurologically, the early years play a key role in children's brain development. Due to this, their bonds with their parents and all of their first experiences are imperative factors to who they will become. Elijah Weesageechak had spent the majority of his childhood in residential school. The Nuns had a negative outlook on Aboriginal beliefs which influenced and changed Elijah. He now laughs at the mention of Native spirituality and does not want to be associated with it. When Xavier mentions the similarity between covering his face in charcoal in to blend into the trenches for protection and smudging ceremonies he laughs, " .. It's what I call a Wemistikoshiw [White] smudging ceremony. Elijah laughs at me. No Indian religion for him" (Boyden137). Elijah is not in touch with his native culture due to his loss of family and cultural identity through being taken to residential school. Elijah is his Christian name that was given to him in school, he does not know his Aboriginal name. Xavier, his friend throughout the story also attended the residential school, but for a shorter period of time. He and Elijah both got severely beaten for drawing pictures, laughing, making