The Windigo Spirit
The strange native spirit windigo figures prominently in Three Day Road. What is it? An excellent site The Windigo tells us that it can be many things and take many forms from being a supernatural demon to the spirit of cannabalism to a personality disorder. Seeing the windigo or being overtaken by the windigo is often associated with loneliness, with winter, with hunger. In the book the windigo spirit is certainly associated with evil, with human beings overtaken with madness. Applying this to the broader context of humanity we can see that the windigo spirit is present in the world in countless ways: serial murders; power and domination over others; mindless killing; savage acts. Someone once remarked "man's inhumanity to man makes countless thousands mourn."
And yet, just as native lore talks of the windigo, the savage beastly presence, it speaks of its antedote - the circle of life. It's interesting and very, very sad that Xavier and Elijah travel a road that leads from innocence, goodness, and life to a world of brokeness, the killing fields of France. It is truly "no-man's land" and it's made more poignant by the native boys having little understanding of why they are there fighting this white man's war. Young and spirited, good hunters and trappers in their forest home, they are eager to use those skills. and use them they do, becoming snipers of the highest calibre. There is heroism here, to be sure, but also craziness. Xavier retains a lot of himself in the process, but the windigo spirit overtakes Elijah as he disintegrates more and more into a killing machine, glorifying in his exploits and taking pleasure in the carnage.
In the end, only Xavier returns, a mere shell of a man. We are left wondering whether Niska the medicine woman's power will be enough to overcome the evil that has been done to him and through him, or whether this is his "three day road." Being an optimist, I opt for the healer, and the author suggests that ending with images of two young boys playing by the great bay, perhaps Xavier's sons.
And yet, just as native lore talks of the windigo, the savage beastly presence, it speaks of its antedote - the circle of life. It's interesting and very, very sad that Xavier and Elijah travel a road that leads from innocence, goodness, and life to a world of brokeness, the killing fields of France. It is truly "no-man's land" and it's made more poignant by the native boys having little understanding of why they are there fighting this white man's war. Young and spirited, good hunters and trappers in their forest home, they are eager to use those skills. and use them they do, becoming snipers of the highest calibre. There is heroism here, to be sure, but also craziness. Xavier retains a lot of himself in the process, but the windigo spirit overtakes Elijah as he disintegrates more and more into a killing machine, glorifying in his exploits and taking pleasure in the carnage.
In the end, only Xavier returns, a mere shell of a man. We are left wondering whether Niska the medicine woman's power will be enough to overcome the evil that has been done to him and through him, or whether this is his "three day road." Being an optimist, I opt for the healer, and the author suggests that ending with images of two young boys playing by the great bay, perhaps Xavier's sons.
posted by mamie @ 2:45 PM
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