Bruchac's new children's book a lesson for us all
LEE GOODEN, For The Saratogian
10/07/2003
'The Warriors'
By Joseph Bruchac
Darby Creek Publishing
120 pages
The new novel by Joseph Bruchac of Greenfield is labeled as a children's book for ages 9 to 11, but children of all ages and adults can enjoy and learn from 'The Warriors.'
The story is about 12-year-old Jake Forrest, an Iroquois Indian and talented lacrosse player living on a reservation in the present day.
Jake's life changes dramatically when his mother, an attorney, takes a job in Washington, D.C. Reluctantly, Jake leaves the reservation and the only family and friends he has ever known to attend the Weltimore Academy, a prestigious boys' school.
The school is known for its emphasis on the game of lacrosse. Jake, a late entry, is a shoo-in to be a part of the team.
Even though he is made to feel welcome by his fellow students, and appears to fit in, deep down, Jake misses his home on the reservation. His academic standing and lacrosse playing are excellent at Weltimore, but he alienates himself from the others, although he seems well adjusted from his outside appearance.
When an act of violence terrifies and disheartens the school and surrounding community, Jake realizes that it's up to him to bring everyone together under a common purpose and teach the true meaning of lacrosse and what it means to be a warrior.
Bruchac's 'Warriors' is much more than a wonderfully entertaining coming-of-age story. It is current, with today's headlines as a backdrop, including mentions of 9/11/2001 and this past year's sniper shootings.
Those of us who were young children in the late '60s and '70s were exposed to the myth that Indians were savages.
When, as children, we played 'cowboys and Indians,' how many of us wanted to be the Indians? In the '80s, the Indians were looked upon as 'noble savages' who were misunderstood by the white man, and removed from their land to make room for the expansion of progress.
In the politically correct era of the '90s, the Indians were called Native Americans who were seen the true shepherds and stewards of the planet Earth.
They lived in peace and harmony with Mother Nature until the 'white devil' showed up and committed atrocities, driving Indians from their sacred lands into concentration camp-like reservations.
Bruchac cleverly illustrates common misconceptions by taking Jake and the reader out of the of the reservation into the Weltimore Academy, which is an international melting pot of diversity.
The academy is a metaphor for the world and how people, no matter where they come from, are basically the same.
LEE GOODEN, For The Saratogian
10/07/2003
'The Warriors'
By Joseph Bruchac
Darby Creek Publishing
120 pages
The new novel by Joseph Bruchac of Greenfield is labeled as a children's book for ages 9 to 11, but children of all ages and adults can enjoy and learn from 'The Warriors.'
The story is about 12-year-old Jake Forrest, an Iroquois Indian and talented lacrosse player living on a reservation in the present day.
Jake's life changes dramatically when his mother, an attorney, takes a job in Washington, D.C. Reluctantly, Jake leaves the reservation and the only family and friends he has ever known to attend the Weltimore Academy, a prestigious boys' school.
The school is known for its emphasis on the game of lacrosse. Jake, a late entry, is a shoo-in to be a part of the team.
Even though he is made to feel welcome by his fellow students, and appears to fit in, deep down, Jake misses his home on the reservation. His academic standing and lacrosse playing are excellent at Weltimore, but he alienates himself from the others, although he seems well adjusted from his outside appearance.
When an act of violence terrifies and disheartens the school and surrounding community, Jake realizes that it's up to him to bring everyone together under a common purpose and teach the true meaning of lacrosse and what it means to be a warrior.
Bruchac's 'Warriors' is much more than a wonderfully entertaining coming-of-age story. It is current, with today's headlines as a backdrop, including mentions of 9/11/2001 and this past year's sniper shootings.
Those of us who were young children in the late '60s and '70s were exposed to the myth that Indians were savages.
When, as children, we played 'cowboys and Indians,' how many of us wanted to be the Indians? In the '80s, the Indians were looked upon as 'noble savages' who were misunderstood by the white man, and removed from their land to make room for the expansion of progress.
In the politically correct era of the '90s, the Indians were called Native Americans who were seen the true shepherds and stewards of the planet Earth.
They lived in peace and harmony with Mother Nature until the 'white devil' showed up and committed atrocities, driving Indians from their sacred lands into concentration camp-like reservations.
Bruchac cleverly illustrates common misconceptions by taking Jake and the reader out of the of the reservation into the Weltimore Academy, which is an international melting pot of diversity.
The academy is a metaphor for the world and how people, no matter where they come from, are basically the same.
posted by Lee Gooden | 9:42 PM
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