Winter in the Blood by James Welch Essay -- Native American Novels Win

Winter in the Blood by James Welch Winter in the Blood, a Native American novel written by James Welch, takes place on a cattle ranch in Montana, around 1970. On the surface, this is a story of a Blackfoot Indian sleepwalking through his life, tormented by visions, in search of a connection to his heritage. Welchs language is, at once, plain-spoken and poetic, and the pictures it conjures are dreamlike and disquieting. Furthermore, the narrator of the novel is disheartened by the loss of his brother, Mose, and his father, First Raise ? the two most cherished people in his life. afterward struggling with guilt, sorrow, and alcoholism, the narrator overcomes these down falls through re-identifying with himself and his culture? specifically through the help of his grandfather, jaundiced Calf.In the opening line of the novel, the narrator provides a vivid description of the his decaying surroundingsIn the tall weeds of the borrow pit, I took a leak and watched the sorrel mare, her col t beside her, walk through burnt grass to the curious side of the long-and-mudcabin . . . . The roof had fallen in and the mud amongst the logs had fallen out in chunks, leaving a bare gray skeleton, domicil only to mice and insects. Tumbleweeds, stark as bone, rocked in a hot wind against the west wall (1).Welch opens the story with this line to show a relationship between the narrators feelings of worthlessness and the worthlessness of his environment. In addition, the author melodically begins the novel in a somber manner ? so the reader may immediately jell to the tone encompassing the story. The narrator continues with describing his resentment towards his home life, Coming home was not easy anymore. It was never a cinch, but it had become a torture (2). This move out provides the reader with an understanding of the sorrow that the protagonist feels at the beginning of the novel and throughout the first half. Further narration includes the protagonists feelings of distance from the land and blame that he places upon himself, But the distance I felt came not from country or people it came from within me (2). Thus, as the reader, we understand that the narrator has removed himself from the land and his culture.On the narrators tour to find his girlfriend, Welch clearly demonstrates the overabundant use of alco... ...Yellow Calf and to ask him if he was ever acquainted with his grandmother (another twist not old woman) (152). And, yes, Yellow Calf did love his grandmother and was able to provide the narrator with the missing pieces, of his grandmothers stories, that he longed for that Yellow Calf is his grandfather and that he was the only one that treated his grandmother with regard after Standing Bears death. Once the narrator realized this they, shared this secret in the presence of ghosts, in wind that called forth the muttering of tepees, the blowing snow, the white air of the horses nostril . . .but there were others, so many others (159).It i s then that the narrator completely absorbs the teachings from Yellow Calf, and allows his life to come full circle. In the end, through the guidance of Yellow Calf, the protagonist discovers himself, learns to respect the natural order of the land, and overcomes the guilt and sorrow that has lived within him for many years. The physical journey may be complete, but the spiritual journey will continue for a lifetime. Works CitedWelch, James. Winter in the Blood ,New York Penguin Books, 1974.