Thomas King´s novel Green Grass, Running Water distinguishes itself from most of the modern novels, above all, from the novels written by Native American authors, in its genuine form and content. Not only the synthesis of oral and written form of narrating stories makes it a valuable literary work that reveals evidence for the existence of a relatively, if not utterly unknown culture, but also the author´s effort to depict characters and stories from the mythology of the Native Americans contribute to it. The central figure among the mythological figures from the Native American culture in the novel Green Grass, Running Water is, by all means, the figure of Coyote.
A lot of research has been conducted on the importance of this figure in the Native American mythology, on its meaning in Thomas King´s novel and on the combination of these two aspects. It could be regarded that Thomas King attempts through his characters to illustrate on a larger scale the relationship between two diverse entities and their unequal position in it. This argument has been considered to a large extent by many authors and academics, among which Herb Wyile presents the following point in his article “ ′Trust Tonto′ Thomas King´s subversive fictions and the politics of cultural literacy. “Given these various elements, it might be tempting initially to describe his work as blending Western literary forms with forms from Native cultures. A more appropriate characterization, however, can be found in Kimberley Blaeser’s description of the trickster figure in Native writing as ‘[n]ot a composite, which is made up of distinct and recognizable parts, but a complex, which is one unit whose makeup is intricate and interwoven’ (“Trickster” 51). Her description applies nicely to King’s writing, since in those Native cultures (and King’s writing as an extension of them), that blending or syncretism is already there, because of the cross-fertilization historically and currently between different tribal traditions and because of the legacy of the history of colonialism, during which cultural interaction was imposed.”1 In the light of the opinion presented in the above written quotation this paper will concentrate on the analysis of the meaning and form of the pivotal figure in Thomas King’s novel Green Grass, Running Water – the trickster figure of Coyote and attempt to discover the intertwined intertextuality in the dialogs, in which Coyote takes part.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. The oral and written form of story telling expressed in the dialogs with the trickster figure
3. The role of the trickster figure
4. The intertextuality in the scenes with Coyote
5. Conclusion
Research Objectives and Themes
This paper examines the function and significance of the Coyote figure in Thomas King's novel Green Grass, Running Water. It investigates how the author utilizes the mythological trickster to bridge the gap between oral Native American traditions and Western literary forms, ultimately challenging dominant cultural and colonial narratives.
- The synthesis of oral and written storytelling forms within the novel.
- The symbolic role of Coyote as a trickster figure in Native American mythology and King's personal adaptation.
- Intertextual references linking the novel to Biblical creation stories and Western literary classics like Moby Dick.
- The subversion of colonial structures and binary hierarchies through character interplay.
Excerpt from the Book
3. The role of the trickster figure
The coyote as a trickster figure does not appear solely in the novel Green Grass, Running Water. On the contrary, it is also introduced in the title story “One good story, that one” of Thomas King’s collection of stories One Good Story, That One, and the novels: Coyote’s Suit, Coyote Sings to the Moon, A Coyote Columbus Story. By engaging it as one of the main characters in the novel, the author King discloses a significant part of the Native American mythology and thus presents to the readers a rather unknown aspect of Native Americans’ cultural tradition. Nevertheless, Thomas King creates his own version of this creation figure and assigns it an important role in the creation story of another culture, in which, originally, there was never a place for it. The author himself comments on this variant of Coyote’s figure in the novel Green Grass, Running Water by calling it a “sacred clown”: ”Someone who could point out the fallacies in situations and arguments and who made sure that nothing stayed done, whatever you tried to do, that particular figure would take apart. My Coyote wants to see the world in a slight state of turmoil”(Canon 100)
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter provides an overview of Thomas King’s novel and introduces the central figure of Coyote as a bridge between Native American mythology and modern literary expression.
2. The oral and written form of story telling expressed in the dialogs with the trickster figure: This chapter analyzes how the narrative style blends oral storytelling traditions with written forms, focusing on the dialogs where Coyote challenges conventional worldviews.
3. The role of the trickster figure: This chapter explores the characteristics of the trickster figure in Native American traditions and how King subverts these to portray Coyote as a "sacred clown" who disrupts established structures.
4. The intertextuality in the scenes with Coyote: This chapter examines the intersections between the novel and external texts, specifically comparing Biblical accounts and Melville's Moby Dick with the novel's internal mythology.
5. Conclusion: This chapter synthesizes the previous analysis, highlighting how Coyote serves as a conduit between different cultural levels and structural narrative layers to critique dominant societal power dynamics.
Keywords
Thomas King, Green Grass, Running Water, Coyote, Trickster Figure, Native American Literature, Intertextuality, Oral Tradition, Colonialism, Myth, Syncretism, Storytelling, Cultural Literacy, Biblical Parody.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the primary focus of this work?
The paper focuses on the role and function of the trickster figure, specifically Coyote, within Thomas King’s novel Green Grass, Running Water, and how this figure mediates between different cultural and narrative layers.
Which central themes are explored?
The central themes include the integration of oral and written storytelling, the deconstruction of colonial narratives, the interplay between myth and reality, and the use of intertextuality to challenge Western canonical texts.
What is the main goal of the research?
The goal is to analyze how Thomas King utilizes Coyote to disrupt hierarchical and colonial systems while highlighting the unique cultural synthesis inherent in his writing.
Which methodology is applied?
The author employs a literary analysis approach, drawing on academic criticism and comparing the novel’s internal narratives with external sources like the Bible and classic literature.
What topics are discussed in the main body?
The main body covers the synthesis of narrative forms, the traditional versus the modified trickster role, and the specific intertextual connections to Biblical and literary sources.
Which keywords define the scope of the study?
The study is defined by terms such as Coyote, Native American mythology, intertextuality, colonial encounter, and storytelling.
How does the novel handle the concept of "God" through Coyote?
King uses Coyote to re-frame the Christian God as a "dream" or creation of the Coyote, thereby reversing the biological and hierarchical standing typically assigned in Western religion.
What does the "Moby Jane" reference signify?
The reference to Moby Jane acts as a parody of Melville’s Moby Dick, serving to challenge the male-dominated and colonial structures present in the classic literary tradition.
- Quote paper
- Aleksandra Pendarovska (Author), 2004, Forms and Functions of the Trickster Figure in Thomas King's Green Grass, Running Water, Munich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/27937
