Winter in the Blood
First Name Last Name
English 100
Essay #5
December 5th 2012
Finding yourself This novel is a story of a man coming home to search for his identity. The narrator of the novel is a Blackfoot Indian in his early thirties whose name is not revealed in the novel. A name revels a identity which the narrator does not have. I think the narrator in the story is anonymous because his experience can be universal to everyone regardless of his gender or race. The narrator feels anxious and confused not knowing his past, and therefore, feels uncertain about his future either. The narrator does not have an identity since he is alienated in both white man and Indian’s society. Being an Indian, he feels that he does not belong to white people’s society. This story takes place on a cattle ranch in Montana. He lives on a ranch with his mother and stepdad. He is alienated and feels no affection for his family. He has no direction in his life and also seems to have no purpose as well. He is basically sleepwalking through his life along with tormented by visions occurring, in search of a connection to his heritage. When he journeys out to visit some towns to find his girlfriend who stole from him, he gets intoxicated in various pubs and indulges in meaningless sex with random women. The narrator has important encounters with an old Indian named Yellow Calf, where he learns all about his family heritage. This novel shows the highs and lows of the narrator’s struggle to make sense of life. The novel propels us closer to an alienation that is not so easily showed but commonly felt. The narrator’s girlfriend in the novel is named Agnes and she is a young Cree woman. She is from Havre but lives with him for a few weeks. His grandmother hates her because she is Cree. Agnes walks out on him and steals his gun and electric razor. He meets her again in Havre. He notices that she lives an aimless life full of drinking and promiscuity. Alienation is one of the major
English 100
Essay #5
December 5th 2012
Finding yourself This novel is a story of a man coming home to search for his identity. The narrator of the novel is a Blackfoot Indian in his early thirties whose name is not revealed in the novel. A name revels a identity which the narrator does not have. I think the narrator in the story is anonymous because his experience can be universal to everyone regardless of his gender or race. The narrator feels anxious and confused not knowing his past, and therefore, feels uncertain about his future either. The narrator does not have an identity since he is alienated in both white man and Indian’s society. Being an Indian, he feels that he does not belong to white people’s society. This story takes place on a cattle ranch in Montana. He lives on a ranch with his mother and stepdad. He is alienated and feels no affection for his family. He has no direction in his life and also seems to have no purpose as well. He is basically sleepwalking through his life along with tormented by visions occurring, in search of a connection to his heritage. When he journeys out to visit some towns to find his girlfriend who stole from him, he gets intoxicated in various pubs and indulges in meaningless sex with random women. The narrator has important encounters with an old Indian named Yellow Calf, where he learns all about his family heritage. This novel shows the highs and lows of the narrator’s struggle to make sense of life. The novel propels us closer to an alienation that is not so easily showed but commonly felt. The narrator’s girlfriend in the novel is named Agnes and she is a young Cree woman. She is from Havre but lives with him for a few weeks. His grandmother hates her because she is Cree. Agnes walks out on him and steals his gun and electric razor. He meets her again in Havre. He notices that she lives an aimless life full of drinking and promiscuity. Alienation is one of the major
Cited: James Welch. “Winter in the Blood.” 2008. New York: Penguin Books, 1986. 176. Print.