Wednesday, November 13th @7:00PM CT
Based on an Athabascan Indian legend passed along from mother to daughter for many generations on the upper Yukon River in Alaska, this is the tragic and shocking story–with a surprise ending–of two elderly women abandoned by a migrating tribe that faces starvation brought on by unusually harsh Arctic weather and a shortage of fish and game. This story of survival is told with suspense by Velma Wallis, whose subject matter challenges the taboos of her past. Yet, her themes are modern–empowerment of women, the graying of America, growing interest in Native American ways.
Summary
In a winter of famine, the tribe decides to leave behind two elderly women, who although mobile and somewhat productive, complain constantly and require assistance. Some people are shocked and distressed, but no one, including the daughter of one of the women, speaks up, afraid of precipitating violence in the tribe. As the tribe marches off, the two women, 75 and 80 years old, vow they will “die trying.” They manage to catch a few rabbits and a squirrel to sustain them, then set off to a campsite miles away where, they recall, food is more abundant. They reach their goal, survive the winter, and spend the summer laying in a store of foodstuffs that will eventually sustain the whole tribe when it returns in search of them.
The story speaks to many modern concerns—abandonment or isolation of old men and women in nursing homes and retirement communities; the elderly’s perhaps unwitting view of themselves as a privileged elite, but one which greatly underestimates its capabilities; the way in which the greatest good for the greatest number can lead to injustice and even cruelty, and in which trust, once broken, takes time and hard work to repair.
Quotes From the Book
“Within each individual in this large and complicated world there lives an astounding potential for greatness.”
“They forget that we, too, have earned the right to live! So I say if we are going to die, my friend, let us die trying, not sitting.”
Discussion Questions:
- Why does no one seem shocked about the Chief’s choice to leave them behind? Why was their complaining tolerated for so long without anyone speaking up?
- A distant and lone wolf howls at night when the old women sleep. What do you think this could mean? Or how is the lone wolf related to the situation of the two old women?
- The chief feels The People had “inflicted an injustice on themselves and the two old women.” Why does he feel this way?
- Explain the new roles in the band. How has the band changed?
- Discuss the power of hope. When the two old women decide to die trying, what role does hope play in their plan, their actions, and their morale?
- How would the story change if these were two old men instead of two old women?
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