Thomas King talks a lot about rules in GGRW and criticizes the ‘rules’ enforced by authorities in history. King uses parody to challenge the rules set forth in the Bible. Thomas King shows how the government and the Catholic Church enforced questionable rules regarding the First Nations people. For instance, on page 145, Noah refers to the ‘Christian rule’ of not talking to animals: “Why are you talking to animals? says the little man. This is a Christian ship. Animals don’t talk. We got rules.” And when Changing Woman ignores Noah and again goes ‘against the rules,’ Noah shouts, “Talking to the animals again…That’s almost bestiality, and it’s against the rules,” referring the “Christian rules” (146). And when Coyote asks, “What’s wrong with that,” Noah does not give an explanation (146). He simply says, “It’s against the rules” (146). Further, when Noah tries to ‘procreate’ with Changing Woman, and she refuses, Noah gets angry and tells her to get off his ship: “This is a Christian ship, he shouts. I am a Christian man. This is a Christian journey. And if you can’t follow our Christian rules, then you’re not wanted on the voyage” (148).
This allusion reminds me of how the Catholic and Anglican Churches and the government manipulated Christian beliefs and enforced unimaginable and inhumane rules on the First Nations peoples. This summer, while I was at the New Aiyansh village, I remember talking to a Native Elder who described his experience at a residential school. I cannot express in words the things that happened to him.
The Residential schools were started in the 19th century. The first residential schools were established in the 1840s. They were intended to force the assimilation of the Native Peoples into European-Canadian society. Children were separated from their parents and were given new ‘rules’ to follow at these residential schools, resulting of a cultural genocide in the 20th century. Children were not allowed to speak in their own languages or practice their own faith and traditions. If they broke the rules, they would experience severe punishment without any reasonable explanation, which is similar to how Noah gives no explanation why Eve should listen to him. Here is one testimony of a former Native residential school student. In these schools, the environment was very poor and many of the students went through both severe emotional and physical abuse. Many of the teachers misused their authority and thus planted an unforgettable memory in the minds of some former residential school students. Here is another clip of an interview with a Native who remembers a traumatizing day at the residential school.
In my opinion, King ridicules Noah’s ludicrous rules to makes us think about how, in the same way, the federal government of Canada and the residential schools enforced irrational rules on the First Native Peoples. Just like Noah in GGRW, the government and the church misused their authority over the people of First Natives.
This allusion reminds me of how the Catholic and Anglican Churches and the government manipulated Christian beliefs and enforced unimaginable and inhumane rules on the First Nations peoples. This summer, while I was at the New Aiyansh village, I remember talking to a Native Elder who described his experience at a residential school. I cannot express in words the things that happened to him.
The Residential schools were started in the 19th century. The first residential schools were established in the 1840s. They were intended to force the assimilation of the Native Peoples into European-Canadian society. Children were separated from their parents and were given new ‘rules’ to follow at these residential schools, resulting of a cultural genocide in the 20th century. Children were not allowed to speak in their own languages or practice their own faith and traditions. If they broke the rules, they would experience severe punishment without any reasonable explanation, which is similar to how Noah gives no explanation why Eve should listen to him. Here is one testimony of a former Native residential school student. In these schools, the environment was very poor and many of the students went through both severe emotional and physical abuse. Many of the teachers misused their authority and thus planted an unforgettable memory in the minds of some former residential school students. Here is another clip of an interview with a Native who remembers a traumatizing day at the residential school.
In my opinion, King ridicules Noah’s ludicrous rules to makes us think about how, in the same way, the federal government of Canada and the residential schools enforced irrational rules on the First Native Peoples. Just like Noah in GGRW, the government and the church misused their authority over the people of First Natives.
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