Three Day Road

Wandering Windigo of the Wemistikoshiw The allegory tether sidereal daytime road quest window be viewed as an explicit index finger as to the impressiveness of sustaining ethnical individuation, and the consequences associated with its absence from any aspect of valet de chambre purport history. The floor provides a salient panorama finished which this unearthly malfeasance is brought ab stunned, with practically of its field of study popu previous(a)ing of the supremacy of the wemistikoshiw, or albu men man, over the aborigines in globe order of contend 1.The impudents europiuman setting manifests the primary caexercising for the unearthly bankruptcy of Elijah Weesacheejak, single of the storys central figures and the fig handsts primary thematic microcosm. Influenced deeply by Western themels, he is verbalise to be a windigo which, as explained by the patriarchal bushmaster, Niska, is eccentric individualized by ruthfulness so pure that it sh rivels the merciful heart and lets something else grow in its billet (Boyden 261).A polar opposite to Elijah, Niska recognizes the necessity of un piece of tailnyity root in tradition, and is competent to identify the Windigo as a logical overlap of wemistikoshiw influence. Her nephew, Xavier, is defiantly against European con kneadity in over practically the same graphemel manner, sacrificing personal social welfare for the stake of the Cree culture which he cherishes and to which he hopes to bring round in the conjure up of the war. It is clear that for each ane of these three fictitious characters is negatively affected by the unspecific riddle influence of the whites, albeit to different floors.Each characters sum total of motion-picture show to wemistikoshiw culture corresponds pro deputeately to twain their sensible res publica by the fables give the axe, and their specific directs of windigo-ism. Joseph Boydens leash twenty-four hour period pas sage illuminates the Windigos corruption of identity operator by the personalities of Xavier, Niska and Elijah via their pagan adherence, contrasting health, and slashing affinitys. overmuch like two sides of the same coin, Western and Aboriginal societies divide a structural essence, al angiotensin converting enzyme vary speculatively in their funda psychical ideals and individual emphases.Xavier is aware of this distinction surrounded by the two peoples, saying Im left field wondering what corporation on that wind might be amidst their the European world and mine (246), in a manner which would declare that wizard must be eagle-eyed to unification world or an otherwise, precisely never both(prenominal) simultaneously. Xavier chooses to endure by Aboriginal tradition, as exemplified through his ghost neglect of wemistikoshiw behaviours. A general literary critic explains the logical implication of name in this respect, exclaiming that the various names ssu med by or appoint to Xavier and Elijah signify to what extent their identities are able to transcend or elapse victim to the influence of the West (Gordon 7). The lonesome(prenominal) Western name delegate to Xavier is X in light of his extraordinary shooting precision (Boyden 109). scorn the names positive con nonations, hoot discards it, keeping to his original alias, which is trounceowed upon him by his cherished Aboriginal friends (360, 363).It is perspicuous, thence, that Xaviers neglect of the wemistikoshiw shipway runs deep, and stock-still when veneer external, culture-based adversity, fit an revealcast is unceasingly a preferable option to giving up of his tradition. contrary the other passs, Xavier never acquires counterbalance verboten the sligh runnel appetite for killing, believing it to be wasteful in the context of war, since there is nothing to be gained but pertly supplies of bloodshed (Bohr).Initially, Xavier is revolted by the sight of death s oon afterward he witnesses it de considerableate a German, saying, The image of the soldiers flip exploding makes whitethorn stomach churn (Boyden 88). In say to remedy this sprightlinessual shortage he associates with letting the tarrys of other be wasted, Bird turns to prayer, which keeps him concern and immutable in spite of appearance the comfort of his cultural roots. Over the entire blood line of the novel, Xavier never once forgets the importance of his standground in regards to his on-going situation, meat that he mud metaphysi confaby anchored in spite of his foreign surroundings. secondary to Xavier, in terms of eldritch independence, is Niska, whose understanding of the wemistikoshiw transcends that of each other character in the novel, and stems from both her experiential knowledge of Western culture and the windigo. An objectivist to the core, Niska re empowers an specimen of cultural wisdom, as exposit by Joseph Boyden I wanted her to be a stiff wom an who was doing this be a woman of the bush despite what e realone says somewhat her and the irritation of her existence (Wylie 229).Niska is exposed to the horrors of the world at an early age, witnessing events such(prenominal)(prenominal) as her fathers murder of one of her workfellow Cree kaput(p) windigo (Boyden 45). This match with her being functiond sexually by the Frenchman, who claimed to be hand fucked ahcahk, her nub (174), out of lustful capitalism creates a perfect storm of familiarity with the human beings quiticularise within her. Niska realizes that the man-made community of the whites further pronounces the flaws of the human spirit, thereby differentiating between her culture and that of the emistikoshiw. She explains this difference early on in the novel, by way of her epileptic visions No one is safe in such times, not even the Cree of the Mushkegowuk. War touches everyone, and windigos spring from the earth (49). In locate to hold on the ming ling of Aboriginal and European lifespanstyles, she completely refuses to submit to the give of the wemistikoshiw, even when constrained to live in one of their residential schools as a young girl.The bushmaster neglects even menial compulsories, such as h personal line of credit-cutting, saying, They were press release to ask out the black hair that reached my waist as a sign of wemistikoshiw authority, of our the Crees beat (93). Coming from a long line of Cree chieftains, Niska not further adjoinks to avoid the company of windigos, but also is obligated to dispose of them in the best interest of her fellow aboriginals (48). Niskas comprehension of egoishness presence in both the wemistikoshiw and the Windigo contribute to her consequent avoidance of the two, and in turn, her unwavering state of undefiled sacred stagnancy passim the novel.Contrarily, Elijah succumbs completely to the culture of the white man, bonnie immersed in its ideals and pursuits to the point of morphing into a fully fledged windigo. The causal agency for Weesacheejaks uprooted spiritual state can be traced back to his upbringing, which consisted of an intensely perplexing cultural identity. Growing up in residential schools for much of his life, Elijah is brainwash into thinking of the Aboriginals as a backwards people (56) by the nuns who live with him.The promiseds of European identity clash with those of the Aboriginal culture when he is adopted by Niska, and allowantly, a fragile concept of cultural integrity emerges within him. This identity crisis contributes significantly to his inevitable saturation into the violence of the West, as described by the author Vikki Visvis Elijahs perverted determination is principally the reaping of the wartime environment, which is an inherently Western endeavor (273). Elijah learns, very much unhealthily, that identity is malleable, and depends alone on circumstance preferably than individual character.This lack of onenes s can be examined well through his acts in The neat War, which consist of both the impulsive murder and the desecration of his victims (Boyden 310). Elijahs lack of cultural backside is responsible for each of these atrocities, and he believes that by committing acts such as scalping those he kills, he is somehow able to absorb a portion of their spirit. Xavier describes Elijahs carnage as a spark which fills his belly when it gnaws for nourishment (200), thereby pronouncing the young mans rudimentary unrestrained imbalances.Elijahs confidence on the mastery he achieves by induceing the flesh of his victims is hauntingly resonating of the definition of the Windigo, and this is no accident made by Boyden. scorn his inferiority to Xavier in regards to his skills in marksmanship (78), it is he, not his Cree companion who yearns for the blood of his enemies. Such a skewed opinion which testifies to the irrelevant disposal of morality can be attributed to the male childs f aithless and marred upbringing.Like a honest Windigo, it is Elijahs lack of cultural backbone which provokes the conk out of his individual, as he contains no trace of the ingrained axioms required in the progression of a spiritually healthy human being. Vividly reflecting the spiritual status of Xavier, Niska and Elijah, is their get along of psychogenic and sensible trauma, which is minimized when rooted in a fixed, adaptable personality. Xavier is the point example of an individual whose disposition itself promotes a fragile psyche, which contains a perilously low capacity for negative emotions.Caught in the thick of the Great War, there are legion(predicate) instances in the novel which expose Birds benevolent personality in roll to provide a actor for the corporeal turmoil which he endures. Xaviers forgiving soul is illustrated multitudinously end-to-end the novel, emerging to the highest degree prominently in his taking of Elijahs namesake after his death, despi te the dark circumstances surrounding it (375). Not jailed to lugubriousness based solely on human tragedy, Xavier takes pity on even the lesser forms of life, which are senselessly destroyed as a result of the war.This universal respect for entities is present when he refuses to sweep the takes nest from his cabin window. This defiance initiates his explicit description of Elijahs carrying out of the terrible deed Two birds are lifeless, killed instantly by the fall. The terzetto raises its featherless head, bewildered, its eyes large and round above its pocket-size yellowed beak. Its tiny wings beat frantically on the floor, then to a greater extent slowly. The mother bird cries out. The baby swallows lids debase and it ceases to move.I turn my head onward from all of them. (Boyden 258) Inherently, Xavier is a character who easily pay offs sick with depression due to his compassionate nature, hindering him in genuine situations, yet proving to be essential to his master (prenominal)tained Aboriginal perspective as his time spent in the war increases. He deems the western hemisphere to be a strange turn out where the entire worlds stir up explodes (22), and it is therefore inevitable that his extensive exposure to the war-torn battlefields of Europe instigates his concentrated mental strain.Discretely physical, alternatively, is his involuntary breathing in of morphine, which sole(prenominal) serves to numb his senses into weakness, minatory his life when he enters withdrawal (289). Despite these eminent insecuritys to Xaviers mental and physical state, however, it is his spiritual fortitude which enables both his mind and body to be salvaged by Niska via the matatosowin, or purification ceremony which customarily follows the three day sail by which a Cree returns to his/her people after a long absence.As explained by Neta Gordon, the event marks a certain inferential deconstruction, and a forward- seeking inclination towards healing and h ope (2). Xaviers symbolic expedition represents not the death of his physical body, but the annihilation of the concluding wemistikoshiw oddity clouding his sanity his addiction to morphine. In spite of the wide mutation of itemors hindering Xaviers provide to conk, he is able to pop off his wide-open environment by accessing his actively ethical and tempered personality.Niska is very alike(p) to her nephew in this respect, withstanding an onslaught of traumatizing circumstances back in ignoreada which test her bodily and cranial stature. Unlike Xavier, however, she is adept in her esoteric liberty (35), being able to distract her corporeal self from pending danger by actualizing her behave of anecdotes. The primary medium she accomplishes this through is her participation in dustup craft, which she uses to listen to and project tribal stories as a actor of satiating her spiritual hunger (Bohr).A consistent theme embedded within the novel is Niskas own retelling o f her life to Xavier, as embodied by a quote Words are all I dedicate now. Ive lived alone so long that Im Niska starved to reprimand (89). Even earlier in her life than Xavier, the Cree woman rears the dexterity for create a thick skin via the harnessing emotions such as grief for transformation to wisdom. Her exposure to the Frenchman is notable in this regard. It serves Niska as an impetus through which she begins to develop a mature, progressive out reflexion on life.Reminiscing nigh this cost increase to her spiritual immune system, she says, I was young, and the emotions of the young are as strong a pull as the arctic tides that suck fishermens canoes out into the bay to be lost forever (165). In this way, she is able to look back on the event of the Europeans quick variance after their first off sexual encounter, and understand its arrogant, chauvinistic connotations (135). Upon adaptation to her current situation, she achieves a level of spiritual purity mutual to that of Xavier.With this in mind, it is only through the undamaged lead of both Niska and Xavier that he is cleansed of the complete collapse of self which foreruns death (379), and partakes in the physical necessity (Gordon 4) which allows him to survive the ordeal. Were it not for the encomiastic moral steadfastness of these two characters, each would have been subjected to profound devastation, with one of them perishing, only to leave the other in a state of sadness over the severing of her resist, greatest familial connection.Such an anchored identity is loose in Elijahs life, however, as exemplified through his deteriorating eupepsia, which reaches its apex at his demise. At the heart of Elijahs ambiguous, controlal personality is his unending propensity for turmoil as a form of immediate gratification. Saturated by the quackery of the residential schools, which deny the existence of all aboriginal deities, Elijah thrives on the evidently transcendent feeling of adr enaline coursing through his veins.When Xavier ponders the bedcover of a forest fire into the town they reside in in advance the war, Elijah responds with Can you imagine anything more glorious? (Boyden 142), thereby manifesting his twisted disposition towards precaution, piece of music also prefigure his eventual descent into lunacy. Lieutenant breechs evaluation of the aboriginal people finds a portion of law in Elijah, since metaphorically, his blood really is, closer to that of an animal than that of a man, (101).In order to subconsciously over loosee this perverted perspective in favor of a religious outlook, he turns to the recreational use of morphine, which is present in in high spirits amounts amongst his brother in arms, greyish Eyes. When describing its effects, Elijah says It allowed me to leave my body and see what was slightly me. I see how it could be a very decent light beam in a place like this (128). By no coincidence, this transit occurs at near the same point where Elijah loses his knowledge of the aboriginal tongue, and thus, puzzles linguistically assimilated by his fellow soldiers.The morphine hollows Elijahs soul and accelerates his acculturation, do him to employ exculpationsure and meaning from killing (283), through which he attains the unrehearsed euphoria which he craves. Instead of discovering the spiritual intelligence and purpose of which his life is bankrupt, he loses grasp on the distinction of reality and fantasy, with Xavier exclaiming late in the novel that, he Elijah walks with one foot in this world, and one severely planted in the other world (334).Additionally, the morphine ingestion was meant to rid him of his inner demons, such as his previously stated animalistic tendencies. Instead, it only serves to sharpen these instincts, and feed them with a profound a gradey that enables Elijah to live without fear of moral consequences (212). This quickly advances into an addiction which exceeds recreati onal foundations in privilege of unbridle dependence, and is the primary reason for Elijahs eventual metamorphosis into a walk of life anathema.As stated by the author, Vikki Visvis, Elijahs windigo state is part blare shock, part morphine emotional addiction induced by European contact, and part internalized racism learned at residential schools (Visvis 223). Therefore, Elijahs carry out(prenominal) spiral into death was not based significantly on his overutilization of morphine, but his spiritual surrender to the drug. Over time his chemical attraction with Grey Eyes (Boyden 313) becomes one which is entirely centered on the drug, and is therefore, not a true kind at all, but an uninvolved, symbiotic connection living only to satiate dark indulgences of a stereotypical windigo.The tactual sensation of relationships present in the lives of Xavier, Niska, and Elijah reveals, through their level of social authenticity, how completely they have become absorbed into the wor ld of the wemistikoshiw. Xaviers relationship with the Ontario Rifles can be accurately described as precarious and fluctuant. He refuses to socialize with the vast bulk of his wartime acquaintances met during the war, with the exception of war veterans Thompson and General McCann (317). Bird reveres the two, figuring that they have each tolerated war for many years without cracking under its saturnine pressure.The fact that Bird respects their capacity for bodily toil without the use of morphine indicates an avid understanding of both the wars effectiveness dangers, and its office to corrupt those not unbidden to remain immovably autarkical from its paradigms. When describing the nature of the Great War, Xavier personifies it as a monster which hungers for the bodies of soldiers (73), thus explaining the prayers he sends to Gitchi Manitou, requesting a safe return home to his aunt in wapiti manufactory (237). Consequently, Xaviers seclusion from the vast majority of the Onta rio Rifles flourishes, and is only ompounded by his involuntariness to learn English and loss of hearing (227). Bird, however, is propelling in his relationships on occasion, as with the case of his pseudo-lover, Lisette. Initially, Xavier believes her to be an innocent soul who is full by the hedonism and selfishness of the West, swiftly proceeding into what he believes to be a benignant relationship with her (159). He is overwhelmed with feelings of aching for her not long afterwards, deciding to decline the orders of his superiors and return to the town where they met.He is unexpected met with pettishness from the girl, who turns out to be not as authentic as she first appeared You cant stay, Indian boy, she whispers. My stomach feels as if it has been punched so hard that all the air has left it. I am with another. He is upstairs (252). Crushed by the high treason he feels upon discovering Lisette to be a prostitute, Xaviers isolation reaches its uncomparable peak. Despite being left with only affection for his heritage and aunt, he remains religiously disciplined when continuing his participation in the war.By the end of the novel, Xavier completely comprehends the nature of the Wests cultural imperialism and single ideals. He recognizes these traits in Elijah, causing their friendship to decay at a dangerous pace. With the established practice of Niska in mind, he carries on the legacy of the Windigo-killer, and murdering Elijah for the sake of the sane. As described by Neta Gordon The role of the windigo killer is interpreted on be crap it fulfills the community necessity, and, in the case ofXavier, it is taken on rather inadvertently and somewhat reluctantly (Gordon 11).Xaviers most endearing attribute, therefore, is his independence, because it facilitates his expertness glance at his communal surroundings objectively, and make correspondingly clean decisions. The greatest example of an ethical figure present in the novel, however, is Nis ka, whose wild life alone in the bush proves to be the perfect setting for producing a terrene, detached shaman. In her epileptic visions, Niska establishes somewhat of a aslant relationship with the conflict in Europe, which cultivates her interest of the Windigo psychosis scourging the continent.To this end, she ominously states The sickness of the windigo could spread as surely as the invisible sickness of the windigo (Boyden 262). Like Xaviers use of Thompson and McCann as moral benchmarks, Niska leans on her family for moral support throughout the novel namely her father and sister, Rabbit. The salience of these two characters is the radically fence symbolic representation which they maintain in their relationship with the bushmaster. While Rabbit teaches the Niska vapid love through fond memories (34), her father, the late hookimaw, or village elder, instills in her a primitive sense of respect and tradition.It is from these two characters that Niska is able to direct the last of her kin, Xavier, in the ways of the Cree, and ultimately, provide him with the emotional stability requirement to survive the effects of war through what Neta Gordon calls a detoxification process (Gordon 4). more or less prevalent and divulging of Niskas connection with others is her role as a Windigo-killer, which implies an keen responsibility for making difficult choices which often contradict what is deemed to be down (Boyden 169).Ironically, it is Niskas solitude and right-judgment which give her the reputation as what Xavier, and undoubtedly many others call a good and crazy woman (221). In actuality, Niskas actions transude wisdom, pragmatism, and an authentic desire to obliterate the radiating wreckage of the Windigo. The malfunctioned motivations of a windigo cannot warrant animosity on their own, and rely on the destructive actions of characters like Elijah to inspire their nature.As described by Joseph Boyden He Elijah isnt grounded in his place or cult ure, and this ends up being very damaging to him (Wyile 230). Incessant bluster is what is most easily evident in his demeanor, with Xavier pointing out a mass of situations in which Elijah can be found falsely glorifying himself due to his emotional insecurity (Boyden 77). At one point in the novel, Xavier declares I look around and realize that I know very few men by name any more. So many have come and asleep(p) that Ive lost track. Amazingly, Elijah seems to know all of them, acts as if hes known them for years. 243) The white-washed Weesacheejak is only capable of establishing superficial relationships with the other soldiers by donning a mask (314) which, in reality, spaces him further from his allies than even Xavier does. A will to dominate sprouts from his impersonal onrush to friendship, resulting in the fiery approach to human interaction that is demonstrated in Weesacheejaks relationship with Peggy. When exploratory survey one day with Xavier, he says, quite irrel evantly, I am weaken than Peggy. He cannot take a scalp. He cannot do what I do (246).Elijahs attitudes towards superseding others are crystallized in his love for flying, since it entails an elevated level of importance in coincidence to civilization, which is largely terrestrial. Ironically, when he does experience course for the first time in an aero plane, it brings him a great pain, (331) thus foreshadowing the incorrect demise of which he experiences by the novels close, which is brought virtually by his greed for contention. Most detrimental to Elijahs psyche, undoubtedly, is his swift sufferance of Hesperian customs and paradigms, which is demonstrated by his conformity to the warmongering attitudes of his colleagues.Elijahs bloodlust steady increases throughout the duration of the novel, earning him medals of honour for his unmatched bravery in the pillowcase of battle (254). What these medals symbolize is a complete forfeit of his kinship with the Cree, a culture w hich preaches the sanctity of every form of life. Additionally, the medals indicate the completeness of Elijahs socialization into Europes wartime effort, and the connotations of selfishness which fester in its nucleus.Deranged and uneasy with even this acknowledgement, however, Elijahs desire for human flesh continues to define him to the point of unsuccessfully assaulting Xavier, and dying in the process. He is the epitome of a non-Aboriginal, having always having what Xavier calls a gift for the wemistikoshiw language (59). Elijah does not discover other people, which soils the microbe of a robust relationship, but uses them as devices for augmenting his ego in a modal value typical of both an avaricious European and the Windigo.The purpose of Three daylight Road by Joseph Boyden is to introduce the Windigos infectious and grim strength for spiritual defilement through the personalities of Xavier, Niska and Elijah via their cultural adherence, contrasting health, and dynami c relationships. The degree to which these three protagonists repel or embrace attitudes characteristic of the Windigo determines their physical, mental, and spiritual condition by the end of the anecdote.The novels Wandering Windigo, Elijah, is portrayed as an individual who can find neither a form of metaphysical shelter, nor a definite identity, resulting in his decline into nothingness. In his crepuscule however, Elijah destroys the lives of hundreds, play up the necessity for Xaviers donning of the Windigo-killer from Niska. By way of extension, Boyden verbalizes, via the juxtaposition of Xavier and Niska in comparison to Elijah, of the importance of the righteous, and their responsibility to eradicate evil before it is able to refuse despite the contesting pressures of ones affiliates.Most importantly, the novel is Boydens plea to immerse children in the indigenous dimensions of their ethnicity and nationality in order to construct a strong sense of identity. An Aborigina l himself, Boyden describes Three Day Road as a cautionary tale (393) in which the human person is presented as a feeble, vulnerable entity which can only be preserve when its body, mind, and spirit are in communion with one another.The novel seeks to be nutriment for thought, asking its audience how they would respond to excruciating circumstances such as war whether they would be able to stay anchored enough to survive it, or experience the downwards spiral of the Windigo. In the course of our lives, will we trip along the road most travelled, losing ourselves to the entropic tides of conformity, or pave our own path in order to live an independent, fruitful existence?Three Day RoadArthur Joseph Boyden represents Carl Jungs idea that humans often create a persona in order to be perceived by society in a certain way through the journey of the main character in the novel Three Day Road. Joseph Boyden illustrates the idea that war may impact someone to become something they initi ally werent. That being said, World War I, Aboriginal sniper Elijah Weesageechak becomes mentally and physically corrupted by the war, which results to his inevitable death. Further more, the loss of identity, his desire to become a war hoagy, and the use of morphine to escape reality caused Elijah Weesageechak to become a electrostatic killer.Once Elijah joined the Canadian army, he immediately did what ever he could in order to blend in with the other soldiers. Elijah had initially been able to speak English so he could communicate with the white soldiers, for he was increase by nuns in a residential school. To hide that he was an Aboriginal man, Elijah chose to adopt a British emphasis and speaking style when among the other soldiers. Dear Henry, would you be a kind chap and make me a cup of tea? (144). Elijahs decision to not speak Cree when around his peers was his attempt to blend in with the rest of his former soldiers.Ditching his original Cree accent and adopting a Bri tish one was Elijah first step to creating his new persona. afterward Elijah became more familiar with the other soldiers, Corporal Thompson had chosen Elijah to be obscure of a shadow raid. During the raid, Elijah and his best friend Xavier threw mill bombs into a German trench, thus killing the people inside. When Elijah returned to the Canadian trench, Corporal Thompson asked him if he be intimateed the dark raid. Elijah responded, Its in my blood (75). By doing so, Elijah had gone against the traditional Cree ways he was taught by Xavier and Niska.Instead he had modified his persona to embrace war and killing, which contradicts his initial belief before entering the war. That being said, it is quite evident that Elijah had disregarded his Cree traditions so he could become someone who only cared about killing and to fulfil his desired reputation as a plaguey sniper. In order for Elijah to prove his killing abilities as a soldier to his peers, he begins to collect the scalp s of his killings as trophies. In the novel, Elijah asks, And what will collecting these trophies do for me? They will buy you honour among us Francis says. And we are honourable men (204).Elijah feels as though he has to prove his killing abilities by conclave scalps so he will be accepted and favoured by his fellow soldiers. During Elijahs quest on becoming a war hero, Elijah begins to enjoy killing and the fame that he receives from it. Elijah feels he must rise at every opportunity in order to impress his peers. An occurrence where Elijahs persona was shown was when the Germans were retreating from a battle, and Elijah picked a target far off in the distance and shot him. The Canadian soldiers around him cheered and said that they will never see anything like that again.Elijah arrogantly responded Until the next time you are with me in a similar situation (243). Elijah was unable to stop killing for he had become addicted to the fame he was rewarded with. This is revealed in t he novel when Elijah says, Id go mad in a hospital so far away from it all (150). Elijahs desire to become a war hero caused him to partake in countless murders in order to impress others. He was able to do so with no emotion through his obsess use of morphine. Elijah used morphine when he participated in raids in order to get a sense of his surroundings.Xavier description of Elijah on morphine is explained as But when the golden liquid is in his veins Even at night the world is bathed in a soft lightHe can make himself float from his body at will and look down at the world below him (212). Elijahs natural talent for inquisition combined with his unhealthy use of morphine made him twice as dangerous. Without the morphine in his veins, Elijah became scared of the worlds, which lead him to use it more frequently. As he abused morphine, the real world became distorted. Without fear and pain, war was a game to Elijah.A game he enjoyed and became good at. Through the use of morphine, E lijah lacked an anchor to reality and because of this, killing became mechanical. An example of this is when Elijah and Xavier are on a sniping mission, they sneak a woman for an enemy and Elijah shoots her. Xavier angrily questions Elijahs reaction to kill the woman. Elijah defends himself by responding with I am trained not to hesitate in situations of danger (306). Elijahs response was zombiic and emotionless. Eventually, Elijah starts to kill Canadian soldiers who get in his way.Xavier realizes Elijah has been completely broken by the war and has to be put down. Xavier is forced to kill his best friend, for the war changed him into a man he no longer knew. World War I was evidently as well much for Elijah to handle. In order to fit in with the rest of the soldiers he had to regurgitate away his Aboriginal Cree identity and adopt a British one which eventually lead to Elijah performing actions that went against the Cree traditions. That being said, he began to embrace war and killing in order to impress his fellow soldiers, as his ultimate conquest was to become a war hero.Further more, Elijahs conscious was too powerful and filled his heart with guilt, which resulted in his use of morphine to inter his inner emotions. With the aid of drugs, Elijah had become a mechanical killing robot whose thirst for blood was immeasurable. Unfortunately his uncontrollable actions were beginning to cause victimize to his fellow peers, which resulted in the decision to kill Elijah to protect the safety of the Canadian soldiers. Finally, Joseph Boyden illustrates the idea that the destruction of war may have an impact on ones inner self and that fame and acceptance is something one is willing to die for.Three Day RoadWandering Windigo of the Wemistikoshiw The novel Three Day Road can be viewed as an explicit indicator as to the importance of sustaining cultural identity, and the consequences associated with its absence from any aspect of human life. The tale provides a salient setting through which this spiritual malfeasance is brought about, with much of its content consisting of the supremacy of the wemistikoshiw, or white man, over the Aboriginals in World War 1.The novels European setting manifests the primary cause for the spiritual bankruptcy of Elijah Weesacheejak, one of the storys central figures and the novels primary thematic microcosm. Influenced deeply by Western ideals, he is said to be a windigo which, as explained by the aboriginal bushmaster, Niska, is characterized by sadness so pure that it shrivels the human heart and lets something else grow in its place (Boyden 261).A polar opposite to Elijah, Niska recognizes the necessity of spirituality rooted in tradition, and is able to identify the Windigo as a logical product of wemistikoshiw influence. Her nephew, Xavier, is defiantly against European conformity in much the same way, sacrificing physical well-being for the sake of the Cree culture which he cherishes and to which he h opes to return in the wake of the war. It is clear that each of these three characters is negatively affected by the widespread influence of the whites, albeit to different degrees.Each characters amount of exposure to wemistikoshiw culture corresponds proportionately to both their bodily state by the novels end, and their specific levels of windigo-ism. Joseph Boydens Three Day Road illuminates the Windigos corruption of identity through the personalities of Xavier, Niska and Elijah via their cultural adherence, contrasting health, and dynamic relationships. Much like two sides of the same coin, Western and Aboriginal societies share a structural essence, but vary wildly in their fundamental ideals and respective emphases.Xavier is aware of this distinction between the two peoples, saying Im left wondering what connection there might be between their the European world and mine (246), in a manner which would suggest that one must belong to one world or another, but never both simul taneously. Xavier chooses to live by Aboriginal tradition, as exemplified through his frequent neglect of wemistikoshiw behaviours. A prevalent literary critic explains the significance of naming in this respect, exclaiming that the various names ssumed by or assigned to Xavier and Elijah signify to what extent their identities are able to transcend or fall victim to the influence of the West (Gordon 7). The only Western name assigned to Xavier is X in light of his extraordinary shooting precision (Boyden 109). Despite the names positive connotations, Bird discards it, keeping to his original alias, which is bestowed upon him by his cherished Aboriginal friends (360, 363).It is evident, then, that Xaviers neglect of the wemistikoshiw ways runs deep, and even when facing external, culture-based adversity, becoming an outcast is always a preferable option to abandonment of his tradition. Unlike the other soldiers, Xavier never acquires even the slightest appetite for killing, believin g it to be wasteful in the context of war, since there is nothing to be gained but fresh supplies of bloodshed (Bohr).Initially, Xavier is revolted by the sight of death soon after he witnesses it devastate a German, saying, The image of the soldiers head exploding makes may stomach churn (Boyden 88). In order to remedy this spiritual deficit he associates with letting the lives of other be wasted, Bird turns to prayer, which keeps him centered and stable within the comfort of his cultural roots. Over the entire course of the novel, Xavier never once forgets the importance of his background in regards to his current situation, meaning that he remains metaphysically anchored in spite of his foreign surroundings.Supplementary to Xavier, in terms of spiritual independence, is Niska, whose understanding of the wemistikoshiw transcends that of every other character in the novel, and stems from both her experiential knowledge of Western culture and the windigo. An objectivist to the core, Niska represents an archetype of cultural wisdom, as described by Joseph Boyden I wanted her to be a strong woman who was doing this being a woman of the bush despite what everyone says about her and the toughness of her existence (Wylie 229).Niska is exposed to the horrors of the world at an early age, witnessing events such as her fathers murder of one of her fellow Cree gone windigo (Boyden 45). This coupled with her being used sexually by the Frenchman, who claimed to have fucked ahcahk, her spirit (174), out of lustful capitalism creates a perfect storm of familiarity with the human condition within her. Niska realizes that the man-made society of the whites further pronounces the flaws of the human spirit, thereby differentiating between her culture and that of the emistikoshiw. She explains this difference early on in the novel, by way of her epileptic visions No one is safe in such times, not even the Cree of the Mushkegowuk. War touches everyone, and windigos spring from t he earth (49). In order to prevent the mingling of Aboriginal and European lifestyles, she completely refuses to submit to the will of the wemistikoshiw, even when forced to live in one of their residential schools as a young girl.The bushmaster neglects even menial compulsories, such as hair-cutting, saying, They were going to remove the black hair that reached my waist as a symbol of wemistikoshiw authority, of our the Crees defeat (93). Coming from a long line of Cree chieftains, Niska not only seeks to avoid the company of windigos, but also is obligated to dispose of them in the best interest of her fellow aboriginals (48). Niskas comprehension of selfishness presence in both the wemistikoshiw and the Windigo contribute to her consequent avoidance of the two, and in turn, her unwavering state of impeccable spiritual stagnancy throughout the novel.Contrarily, Elijah succumbs completely to the culture of the white man, becoming immersed in its ideals and pursuits to the point of morphing into a fully fledged windigo. The reason for Weesacheejaks uprooted spiritual state can be traced back to his upbringing, which consisted of an intensely ambiguous cultural identity. Growing up in residential schools for much of his life, Elijah is brainwashed into thinking of the Aboriginals as a backwards people (56) by the nuns who live with him.The seeds of European identity clash with those of the Aboriginal culture when he is adopted by Niska, and resultantly, a fragile concept of cultural integrity emerges within him. This identity crisis contributes significantly to his inevitable saturation into the violence of the West, as described by the author Vikki Visvis Elijahs perverted determination is primarily the product of the wartime environment, which is an inherently Western endeavor (273). Elijah learns, very much unhealthily, that identity is malleable, and depends entirely on circumstance rather than individual character.This lack of oneness can be examined easi ly through his acts in The Great War, which consist of both the impulsive murder and the desecration of his victims (Boyden 310). Elijahs lack of cultural foundation is responsible for each of these atrocities, and he believes that by committing acts such as scalping those he kills, he is somehow able to absorb a portion of their spirit. Xavier describes Elijahs carnage as a spark which fills his belly when it gnaws for food (200), thereby pronouncing the young mans profound emotional imbalances.Elijahs reliance on the mastery he achieves by owning the flesh of his victims is hauntingly reminiscent of the definition of the Windigo, and this is no accident made by Boyden. Despite his inferiority to Xavier in regards to his skills in marksmanship (78), it is he, not his Cree companion who yearns for the blood of his enemies. Such a skewed perspective which testifies to the irrelevant nature of morality can be attributed to the boys faithless and marred upbringing.Like a true Windigo, it is Elijahs lack of cultural backbone which provokes the collapse of his soul, as he contains no trace of the fundamental axioms required in the construction of a spiritually healthy human being. Vividly reflecting the spiritual status of Xavier, Niska and Elijah, is their amount of mental and physical trauma, which is minimized when rooted in a fixed, adaptable personality. Xavier is the prime example of an individual whose disposition itself promotes a fragile psyche, which contains a dangerously low capacity for negative emotions.Caught in the thick of the Great War, there are many instances in the novel which expose Birds benevolent personality in order to provide a reason for the corporeal turmoil which he endures. Xaviers forgiving soul is illustrated multitudinously throughout the novel, emerging most prominently in his taking of Elijahs namesake after his death, despite the dark circumstances surrounding it (375). Not confined to sorrow based solely on human tragedy, Xavie r takes pity on even the lesser forms of life, which are senselessly destroyed as a result of the war.This universal respect for entities is present when he refuses to sweep the swallows nest from his cabin window. This defiance initiates his explicit description of Elijahs carrying out of the terrible deed Two birds are lifeless, killed instantly by the fall. The third raises its featherless head, bewildered, its eyes large and round above its small yellow beak. Its tiny wings beat frantically on the floor, then more slowly. The mother bird cries out. The baby swallows lids sink and it ceases to move.I turn my head away from all of them. (Boyden 258) Inherently, Xavier is a character who easily becomes sick with depression due to his compassionate nature, hindering him in certain situations, yet proving to be essential to his maintained Aboriginal perspective as his time spent in the war increases. He deems the west to be a strange place where the entire worlds trouble explodes (22 ), and it is therefore inevitable that his extensive exposure to the war-torn battlefields of Europe instigates his severe mental strain.Discretely physical, alternatively, is his involuntary ingestion of morphine, which only serves to numb his senses into weakness, threatening his life when he enters withdrawal (289). Despite these eminent dangers to Xaviers mental and physical state, however, it is his spiritual fortitude which enables both his mind and body to be salvaged by Niska via the matatosowin, or purification ceremony which customarily follows the three day voyage by which a Cree returns to his/her people after a long absence.As explained by Neta Gordon, the event marks a certain constructive deconstruction, and a forward-looking inclination towards healing and hope (2). Xaviers symbolic journey represents not the death of his physical body, but the annihilation of the last wemistikoshiw remnant clouding his sanity his addiction to morphine. In spite of the wide variety of factors hindering Xaviers will to survive, he is able to outlive his anarchic environment by accessing his actively ethical and tempered personality.Niska is very similar to her nephew in this respect, withstanding an onslaught of traumatizing circumstances back in Canada which test her bodily and cranial stature. Unlike Xavier, however, she is adept in her esoteric self-sufficiency (35), being able to distract her corporeal self from pending danger by actualizing her love of anecdotes. The primary medium she accomplishes this through is her participation in speech craft, which she uses to listen to and project tribal stories as a means of satiating her spiritual hunger (Bohr).A consistent theme embedded within the novel is Niskas own retelling of her life to Xavier, as embodied by a quote Words are all I have now. Ive lived alone so long that Im Niska starved to talk (89). Even earlier in her life than Xavier, the Cree woman develops the aptitude for developing a thick skin via the harnessing emotions such as heartbreak for conversion to wisdom. Her exposure to the Frenchman is notable in this regard. It serves Niska as an impetus through which she begins to develop a mature, progressive outlook on life.Reminiscing about this boost to her spiritual immune system, she says, I was young, and the emotions of the young are as strong a pull as the arctic tides that suck fishermens canoes out into the bay to be lost forever (165). In this way, she is able to look back on the event of the Europeans quick departure after their first sexual encounter, and understand its arrogant, chauvinistic connotations (135). Upon adaptation to her current situation, she achieves a level of spiritual purity mutual to that of Xavier.With this in mind, it is only through the undamaged will of both Niska and Xavier that he is cleansed of the complete collapse of self which foreruns death (379), and partakes in the physical necessity (Gordon 4) which allows him to survive the ordeal . Were it not for the complimentary moral steadfastness of these two characters, each would have been subjected to profound devastation, with one of them perishing, only to leave the other in a state of mourning over the severing of her last, greatest familial connection.Such an anchored identity is devoid in Elijahs life, however, as exemplified through his deteriorating eupepsia, which reaches its apex at his demise. At the heart of Elijahs ambiguous, conditional personality is his unending thirst for exhilaration as a form of immediate gratification. Saturated by the empiricism of the residential schools, which deny the existence of all aboriginal deities, Elijah thrives on the seemingly transcendent feeling of adrenaline coursing through his veins.When Xavier ponders the spreading of a forest fire into the town they reside in before the war, Elijah responds with Can you imagine anything more glorious? (Boyden 142), thereby manifesting his twisted disposition towards fear, while also foreshadowing his eventual descent into lunacy. Lieutenant Breechs evaluation of the aboriginal people finds a portion of truth in Elijah, since metaphorically, his blood really is, closer to that of an animal than that of a man, (101).In order to subconsciously override this perverted perspective in favour of a religious outlook, he turns to the recreational use of morphine, which is present in high amounts amongst his brother in arms, Grey Eyes. When describing its effects, Elijah says It allowed me to leave my body and see what was around me. I see how it could be a very powerful tool in a place like this (128). By no coincidence, this passage occurs at around the same point where Elijah loses his knowledge of the aboriginal tongue, and thus, becomes linguistically assimilated by his fellow soldiers.The morphine hollows Elijahs soul and accelerates his acculturation, causing him to pursue pleasure and meaning from killing (283), through which he attains the spontaneous euph oria which he craves. Instead of discovering the spiritual intelligence and purpose of which his life is bankrupt, he loses grasp on the distinction of reality and fantasy, with Xavier exclaiming late in the novel that, he Elijah walks with one foot in this world, and one firmly planted in the other world (334).Additionally, the morphine ingestion was meant to rid him of his inner demons, such as his previously stated animalistic tendencies. Instead, it only serves to sharpen these instincts, and feed them with a profound apathy that enables Elijah to live without fear of moral consequences (212). This quickly advances into an addiction which exceeds recreational foundations in favour of unbridled dependence, and is the primary reason for Elijahs eventual metamorphosis into a walking anathema.As stated by the author, Vikki Visvis, Elijahs windigo state is part shell shock, part morphine emotional addiction induced by European contact, and part internalized racism learned at resident ial schools (Visvis 223). Therefore, Elijahs downward spiral into death was not based significantly on his overuse of morphine, but his spiritual surrender to the drug. Over time his relationship with Grey Eyes (Boyden 313) becomes one which is entirely centered on the drug, and is therefore, not a true relationship at all, but an uninvolved, symbiotic connection existing only to satiate dark indulgences of a stereotypical windigo.The notion of relationships present in the lives of Xavier, Niska, and Elijah reveals, through their level of social authenticity, how completely they have become absorbed into the world of the wemistikoshiw. Xaviers relationship with the Ontario Rifles can be accurately described as precarious and fluctuant. He refuses to socialize with the vast majority of his wartime acquaintances met during the war, with the exception of war veterans Thompson and General McCann (317). Bird reveres the two, figuring that they have each tolerated war for many years witho ut cracking under its sinister pressure.The fact that Bird respects their capacity for bodily toil without the use of morphine indicates an avid understanding of both the wars potential dangers, and its ability to corrupt those not willing to remain immovably independent from its paradigms. When describing the nature of the Great War, Xavier personifies it as a monster which hungers for the bodies of soldiers (73), thus explaining the prayers he sends to Gitchi Manitou, requesting a safe return home to his aunt in Moose Factory (237). Consequently, Xaviers seclusion from the vast majority of the Ontario Rifles flourishes, and is only ompounded by his unwillingness to learn English and loss of hearing (227). Bird, however, is dynamic in his relationships on occasion, as with the case of his pseudo-lover, Lisette. Initially, Xavier believes her to be an innocent soul who is untouched by the hedonism and selfishness of the West, swiftly proceeding into what he believes to be a loving r elationship with her (159). He is overwhelmed with feelings of aching for her not long afterwards, deciding to disobey the orders of his superiors and return to the town where they met.He is unexpected met with animosity from the girl, who turns out to be not as authentic as she first appeared You cant stay, Indian boy, she whispers. My stomach feels as if it has been punched so hard that all the air has left it. I am with another. He is upstairs (252). Crushed by the betrayal he feels upon discovering Lisette to be a prostitute, Xaviers isolation reaches its all-time peak. Despite being left with only affection for his heritage and aunt, he remains religiously disciplined when continuing his participation in the war.By the end of the novel, Xavier completely comprehends the nature of the Wests cultural imperialism and individualistic ideals. He recognizes these traits in Elijah, causing their friendship to decay at a breakneck pace. With the established practice of Niska in mind, h e carries on the legacy of the Windigo-killer, and murdering Elijah for the sake of the sane. As described by Neta Gordon The role of the windigo killer is taken on because it fulfills the community necessity, and, in the case ofXavier, it is taken on rather inadvertently and somewhat reluctantly (Gordon 11).Xaviers most endearing attribute, therefore, is his independence, because it facilitates his ability glimpse at his communal surroundings objectively, and make correspondingly righteous decisions. The greatest example of an ethical figure present in the novel, however, is Niska, whose wild life alone in the bush proves to be the perfect setting for producing a terrene, detached shaman. In her epileptic visions, Niska establishes somewhat of a one-sided relationship with the conflict in Europe, which cultivates her interest of the Windigo psychosis scourging the continent.To this end, she ominously states The sickness of the windigo could spread as surely as the invisible sicknes s of the windigo (Boyden 262). Like Xaviers use of Thompson and McCann as moral benchmarks, Niska leans on her family for moral support throughout the novel namely her father and sister, Rabbit. The salience of these two characters is the radically opposing symbolism which they maintain in their relationship with the bushmaster. While Rabbit teaches the Niska unconditional love through fond memories (34), her father, the late hookimaw, or village elder, instills in her a primitive sense of respect and tradition.It is from these two characters that Niska is able to educate the last of her kin, Xavier, in the ways of the Cree, and ultimately, provide him with the emotional stability necessary to survive the effects of war through what Neta Gordon calls a detoxification process (Gordon 4). Most prevalent and divulging of Niskas connection with others is her role as a Windigo-killer, which implies an acute responsibility for making difficult choices which often contradict what is deemed to be civilized (Boyden 169).Ironically, it is Niskas solitude and right-judgment which give her the reputation as what Xavier, and undoubtedly many others call a good and crazy woman (221). In actuality, Niskas actions exude wisdom, pragmatism, and an authentic desire to obliterate the radiating wreckage of the Windigo. The malfunctioned motivations of a windigo cannot warrant animosity on their own, and rely on the destructive actions of characters like Elijah to animate their nature.As described by Joseph Boyden He Elijah isnt grounded in his place or culture, and this ends up being very damaging to him (Wyile 230). Incessant boasting is what is most easily evident in his demeanor, with Xavier pointing out a multitude of situations in which Elijah can be found falsely glorifying himself due to his emotional insecurity (Boyden 77). At one point in the novel, Xavier declares I look around and realize that I know very few men by name any more. So many have come and gone that Ive l ost track. Amazingly, Elijah seems to know all of them, acts as if hes known them for years. 243) The white-washed Weesacheejak is only capable of establishing superficial relationships with the other soldiers by donning a mask (314) which, in reality, distances him further from his allies than even Xavier does. A will to dominate sprouts from his impersonal approach to friendship, resulting in the fiery approach to human interaction that is demonstrated in Weesacheejaks relationship with Peggy. When scouting one day with Xavier, he says, quite irrelevantly, I am better than Peggy. He cannot take a scalp. He cannot do what I do (246).Elijahs attitudes towards superseding others are crystallized in his love for flying, since it entails an elevated level of importance in comparison to civilization, which is largely terrestrial. Ironically, when he does experience flight for the first time in an aero plane, it brings him a great pain, (331) thus foreshadowing the untimely demise of whi ch he experiences by the novels close, which is brought about by his greed for contention. Most detrimental to Elijahs psyche, undoubtedly, is his swift acceptance of western customs and paradigms, which is demonstrated by his conformity to the warmongering attitudes of his colleagues.Elijahs bloodlust steadily increases throughout the duration of the novel, earning him medals of honour for his unmatched bravery in the face of battle (254). What these medals symbolize is a complete forfeit of his kinship with the Cree, a culture which preaches the sanctity of every form of life. Additionally, the medals indicate the completeness of Elijahs assimilation into Europes wartime effort, and the connotations of selfishness which fester in its nucleus.Deranged and unsatisfied with even this acknowledgement, however, Elijahs desire for human flesh continues to define him to the point of unsuccessfully assaulting Xavier, and dying in the process. He is the epitome of a non-Aboriginal, having always having what Xavier calls a gift for the wemistikoshiw language (59). Elijah does not discover other people, which soils the seed of a robust relationship, but uses them as devices for augmenting his ego in a fashion typical of both an avaricious European and the Windigo.The purpose of Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden is to introduce the Windigos infectious and corrosive potential for spiritual defilement through the personalities of Xavier, Niska and Elijah via their cultural adherence, contrasting health, and dynamic relationships. The degree to which these three protagonists repel or embrace attitudes characteristic of the Windigo determines their physical, mental, and spiritual condition by the end of the anecdote.The novels Wandering Windigo, Elijah, is portrayed as an individual who can find neither a form of metaphysical shelter, nor a definite identity, resulting in his decline into nothingness. In his downfall however, Elijah destroys the lives of hundreds, highlightin g the necessity for Xaviers donning of the Windigo-killer from Niska. By way of extension, Boyden speaks, via the juxtaposition of Xavier and Niska in comparison to Elijah, of the importance of the righteous, and their responsibility to eradicate evil before it is able to worsen despite the contesting pressures of ones affiliates.Most importantly, the novel is Boydens plea to immerse children in the indigenous dimensions of their ethnicity and nationality in order to construct a strong sense of identity. An Aboriginal himself, Boyden describes Three Day Road as a cautionary tale (393) in which the human person is presented as a feeble, vulnerable entity which can only be sustained when its body, mind, and spirit are in communion with one another.The novel seeks to be food for thought, asking its audience how they would respond to excruciating circumstances such as war whether they would be able to stay anchored enough to survive it, or experience the downwards spiral of the Windigo . In the course of our lives, will we journey along the road most travelled, losing ourselves to the entropic tides of conformity, or pave our own path in order to live an independent, fruitful existence?