Wenjack

The Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada (2007-2015) uncovered definitive evidence of widespread Abuse in the Residential School System. How does this novella use Wenjack’s experience to dramatize and personalize the Canadian government’s institutionalized program of cultural genocide?

How do elements like youth, the absence or death of parents, and the interruption of traditional Ojibwe childrearing practices work together to shape the narrative of this text? Consider how the decisions and mistakes made by Wenjack and his friends reveal an ignorance of important forest survival skills.

The novella depicts the aunt and uncle to whom the boys flee as lacking the physical and emotional resources needed to support Wenjack. However, it also makes a point of showing that both adults are generous and self-sacrificing. Does the novella frame the uncle’s decision to send Wenjack away as ethical? Why or why not?

Wenjack struggles to remember Ojibwe. Comment on the symbolism of the words or phrases he does remember, such as “family” and “animals of the forest.” What does this reveal about Wenjack’s values and his capacity for resistance and resilience?

Explore the moral and emotional complexity of Wenjack’s solitary, cold, and untimely demise. Does the novel frame it as tragic, triumphant, or both?

Comment on the symbolism of names in this text. Why does Wenjack’s first name shift from Charlie to Chanie throughout the course of his journey? Why do so many other important characters go unnamed?

What literary elements foreshadow Wenjack’s death? How do they work together to generate a tone of rising tension toward this event?

Comment on the contradictory memories associated with the beaver tail slap. How does this scene represent the ongoing trauma associated with residential school attendance?