Three Day Road Themes

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Three Day Road: The Social Network of Discovery Prominent themes shape the main characters in novels there is usually growth in the protagonists. In Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden, themes such as war, suffering, death, and identity play large roles. Each of these themes have factors that also play a part in contributing to broaden the amount of characters affected. Identity is not a foreign idea to many, it is part of the character’s composition. Relationships play an immense role on the protagonist Xavier, the relationships that are encountered are those that change his perception of his own identity by adding fuel to fire and allow his perception of identity to become like a resolute flame. Xavier’s aunt Niska, best friend Elijah, and…show more content…
There is an equal amount of disgust and distaste as there is envy that Xavier feels towards Elijah. A part of Xavier’s identity is his innocence, Elijah has tainted what the war has not tainted. Many times when killing others to the point he “can’t sleep wondering if [he’s] killed someone now” (77). Elijah however, is the opposite “war touches everyone, and windigos spring from the earth” (49), he is a windigo and Xavier is a windigo killer. Their relationship influences Xavier’s innocence. Elijah has changed himself to the point of no return “to [Xavier] he is mad… Elijah has turned himself into something invincible, something inhuman. Sometimes though, [Xavier] feel[s] as if [he’s] going mad too” (348). Xavier does not want to lose his innocence or sanity like Elijah. Not only abandoning innocence but Elijah has abandoned his heritage for the sake of converting in a windigo and wemistikoshiw (foreigner). The men around push and influence Elijah “he is Whiskeyjack the Indian and Whiskeyjack the killer… his name is what sounds to [Xavier] like a longer word for bastard, making his name a name without a family” (154). Losing what is part of his identity such as his heritage scares Xavier, he would rather stay as who he is than change. Elijah is the portrayal of highlights and lowlights of change for Xavier, in the end although Xavier has these feelings of wanting to prove himself to others he us much more content staying as who he
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