Three Day Road Essay

Elijah and Xavier were always the best of friends. From the day they met at Residential School, they started to bond, and had a connection as strong as two brothers. However, they were eventually split apart, as Xavier had decided to fulfill his role as a bush Indian, and left with his Aunt Niska to live in the wilderness. When years had passed, Xavier got lonely, and the only person he wanted to have by his side was Elijah; thus, their friendship was rekindled. Now, many years later, they still have not left each others side. They consider each other as brothers, and yet, Xavier ends up killing Elijah. In the book Three Day Road, it is clear that Xavier enables Elijah’s actions before and during war that lead to Elijah’s eventual death, causing Xavier to fall ultimately responsible for Elijah’s death.

Without Xavier, Elijah would not have succeeded in war. He learned how to shoot, hunt and have killer-instinct from Xavier, turning him into an eventual heartless killing machine. The first example of Xavier being responsible for the training of Elijah comes from the first scene in the book, when both boys are out together for the first time. After hunting and effectively catching a marten, they suspect it to be dead. As they walk closer to the Marten, it is clear to both characters that it is still quite alive and struggling to break free from the trap that Xavier and Elijah had laid. Panicking, Elijah says: “What do we do, Xavier?” (2) Xavier quickly responds, without hesitation, by running towards the nearest log he can find, and brutally smashing the marten to death with it. Elijah, in shock, is told that it had to be done by Xavier. He believes him. It is clear that the first example of brutal violence that Elijah was exposed to before the war was both with and produced by Xavier. This one moment is what provoked eventual quotes from Elijah in the novel, such as: “Killing is in my blood.” (236). Without Xavier, Elijah wouldn’t have known how to kill an