What is the main theme of Motorcycles and Sweetgrass?
Motorcycles & Sweetgrass is a charming story about the importance of balance and belief—and a little bit of magic—in everyone’s life.”
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What does John symbolize in Motorcycles and Sweetgrass?
* The many faces of John also symbolizes the Indigenous within every person. This refers to the fact that everyone originates from somewhere so, therefore everyone has Indigenous blood within them. Since John is a Aboriginal trickster (Nanabush), he has been alive for an extremely long time.
What do the raccoons symbolize in Motorcycles and Sweetgrass?
Finally, the raccoons that have a profound conflict with the man whose name continues to change. The Sweetgrass, the changing names and the raccoons is symbols that emphasize the theme, dual cultures, which shines a light to the transformation taking place on Native reserves.
What is the conflict in Motorcycles and Sweetgrass?
Motorcycles and Sweetgrass is packed with cultural conflict between Native and Colonial such as misunderstandings. Virgil, getting the wrong idea on John’s plan and John misunderstanding on what Maggie wanted. Followed by that comes preconceptions.
What is the significance of Sweetgrass?
Sweetgrass has slightly different significance in different communities. To the Anishinaabe First Nation (Woodland Indians), it is believed to be the sacred hair of O’gushnan, Mother Earth, and is often braided; the three sections representing mind, body, and soul.
Who is the protagonist in motorcycle and sweetgrass?
Motorcycles and Sweetgrass Nanabush, the fictif culture hero and trickster from First Nations mythology is portrayed by a character named John in the novel Motorcycles and Sweetgrass by Drew Hayden Taylor. John rolls into Otter Lake National Reserve on his 1953 Indian Chief Motorcycle and brings magic into the town.
How does Virgil grow in Motorcycles and Sweetgrass?
Virgil grows into an independent young adult through the reconnection with his family and friends, history and heritage. By the end of Motorcycles and Sweetgrass, Virgil finds his motive, and purpose which ultimately leads him to his identity.
Who is the trickster in Motorcycles and Sweetgrass?
Nanabush
In Ojibway mythology, Nanabush is a mischievous trickster, shapeshifter, and culture hero. Journalist, playwright, and author Drew Hayden Taylor uses this figure, and his manic spirit, as inspiration in his first novel for adults.
What do the three strands of sweetgrass represent?
To the Anishinaabe First Nation (Woodland Indians), it is believed to be the sacred hair of O’gushnan, Mother Earth, and is often braided; the three sections representing mind, body, and soul. Some First Nations believe the three sections of the braid represent love, kindness and honesty.
What is the purpose of burning sweetgrass?
Burned to promote happiness, open heartedness and harmony, sweetgrass is a sacred plant like sage that has long been used in smudging ceremonies. Yet unlike sage, which is a shrub, sweetgrass is actually a type of grass. Traditionally, sage has been used to ward off evil spirits and cleanse a space, person or object.
What was John’s promise to Lillian?
Author’s Biography. -John keeps his promise to Lillian and sets his eyes on Maggie (to make her fall in love with him) and Virgil disapproves. -John who was trying to help buries ancient bones and fossils on newly acquired land to keep the government off from the land trying to help Maggie with the land issue.
What is lillians request to John?
On Lillian’s last moments on earth she called for a man named John to come see her, and asked him for two favors. John stuck around Otter Lake to help Lillian with the favors. Every body wanted to know who this handsome mysterious man was.
Who is Lilian in Motorcycles and Sweetgrass?
His grandmother Lillian, and his uncle Wayne are the only ones in the town of Otter Lake who follow the old ways and customs. Virgil’s mother, Maggie became chief after her husband passed away. On Lillian’s last moments on earth she called for a man named John to come see her, and asked him for two favors.
What does Sweet grass symbolize?
Why is it called Sweet grass?
Sweetgrass is known for its sweet scent. The vanilla-like fragrance is produced by an aromatic compound known as coumarin, which is even more evident when the leaves are dried.
What are the benefits of sweet grass?
Sweet grass also has many medicinal properties. It can be dried and made into tea that is used to treat coughs, sore throats and fevers. Inhalation on the smoke will also help cure the common cold. When cooled, this tea can also be used to treat infections, most commonly eye infections.
What is the climax of Motorcycles and Sweetgrass?
Climax: John and Maggie share a vulnerable moment with each other as they are completely naked. This too is an ironic situation because Maggie’s mother went skinny-dipping with John all the time now Maggie is too.
What is the purpose of sweet grass?
Sweetgrass is one of our sacred medicines, symbolizing healing and peace. A grass with long soft leaves, it grows from 1 to 3 feet tall in Eeyou Istchee and other regions. Once gathered and dried, leaves are braided together for smudging at home, at work and in our ceremonies.
What language does Sammy speak in Motorcycles and Sweetgrass?
For years, Sammy has been written off as a babbling lunatic, made doubly incomprehensible by his inability to speak English. John reveals, though, that there’s a certain method to Sammy’s madness, or at least a familiar poetic structure: while he speaks only in Anishnawbe, “he speaks in iambic pentameter. . . .