In the novel, Medicine River, Thomas King creates a story of a little community
to reflect the whole native nation. A simply return of Will's makes the little
town seem to be more colourful. "Medicine River makes non-native readers
think a little longer and harder about the lives of the first people they live
among and the places they inhabit." As a non-native reader, it is extra
difficult to feel and understand the book because we didn't go through all the
steps. Although Will starts like a foreigner, he becomes part of the unique
community eventually. Medicine River shows the past history of Canada and
teaches readers to learn from the past experience in order to become better
people. Will is the main character in the novel, Medicine River. The whole story
starts with a native photojournalist returns to his reservation for his mother's
funeral he discovers the strength of his background. Will does not live in the
reserve, Medicine River, because his father is a white person. After 20 years,
Will returns. After he opens the photo studio in the reserve, he feels like home
again. Doing business and playing basketball makes Will become a member of the
little Indian town. The people who help Will the most are Harlen, Louise and
Joyce. Harlen is the one who always wants to make Will feel better. The photo
studio & basketball team are Harlen's idea. Louise is the true love that
Will falls for. When Joyce asks Will to be in the photo, that really impresses
Will a lot. Finally, Will finds his career, love and friends in the reserve
after 20 years. Harlen is Will's friend and he is a very easy going man. He is
always running around helping people to solve the problems. He runs the coach
position on team Medicine River Friendship Centre Warriors" after no body
wants to do the job. In order to make Will feel home, Harlen forces Will to play
some basketball on the team although Will is not a good player. Leadership is
the main idea that Harlen is trying to pass to Will. When Louise breaks up with
her ex-boyfriend and gets pregnant, Harlen purposely set Louise and Will up. He
asks Will to take a good care of Louise and her unborn baby. Harlen also tries
to sell Will on the idea of returning to Medicine River to open shop as the only
native photographer in the quite, little, mountain town. Louise Heavyman shows
the strong, independent and confident sides of a woman. She owns a finance
company which is well known in the reserve. Louise is a pretty woman who never
gets married. Harlen describes her as, "Good looking woman, Will. Strong
hips. You know, for children. Tall, too. Always good to have a tall
woman."(P.27) Harlen tries to help Louise by sending Will to have a date
with her. However, Louise does not need any help from anyone else. She tells
Will about her thoughts, "He was real nice, but I didn't want to get
married. I think he thought when I got pregnant that I'd change my
mind."(P.34) Louise also reminds Will of his mother, Rose. She raised Will
and James by herself and Louise is trying to raise South Wing alone. No matter
how strong, independent and confident Louise is, she realizes that she loves
Will and she changes herself a lot after being with Will. Eventually, Louise
decides to start her new live with Will. Even though Louise is not the main
character of the novel, she plays a very important roll. The characteristic of
Louise's represents the soul of a modern woman, especially of a modern native
woman. In the novel, Medicine River, after a long period of twenty years, Will
still goes back to where he belongs. It does not only happen in an Indian town,
but pretty much everywhere else in the world. It is because of the native people
are too afraid to accept the foreigners. Once the foreigners spend some time
there, people will start to accept and understand the foreigners. Medicine River
looks like a regular story to me, but I can feel that there is something great
behind the story. Unfortunately, I just don't know how to put it in words. It is
a good story. Thomas King writes down the book to reflect the whole human
nature. In order to improve, we have to encourage ourselves to try and accept
new things. All the Canadian should be proud of the book because they are the
nation with the courage to accept, learn and try things from around the world.