Cultural Differences

 Since the very beginning, people have disagreed with one another due to a plentitude of reasons. In many cases, people have different values and are often at conflict with one another. In "The Three Day Road" due to conflicting cultures, not only wars are taken place, but also battles of internal and external conflict between friends and family. It's horrible how simple things can change how people interact with one another. Moreover, how disputes cannot be just solved without violence and instead be solved with calm conversations. It doesn't always work this way. Wars have occurred due to ambition and power, all because of conflicting values and cultures. If only the world could take a step back and take things into perspective, that life is short and that people should make the best of it.

A Challenge

Often at times, people are pressured to do things that would have otherwised deemed an atrocity for their own or other's safety. In Niska's reflection, several events take place that are of importance. Firstly, one of Niska's friends, a mother, a father and their son. When the family goes out to the woods but find no food, the family is put in a tight position. The father desperately tries to find food but ends up dying due to the cold. Since both the mother and her son are hungry and hanging on a thread to their lives, they end up eating the father. Before long, Niska's father is forced to kill both the mother and her child due to their actions. After reading this, I also related it to my own life how in some situations, although not ideal, must be done to continue on. Even though it may not be a severe as Niska's situation, but we are all forced to make difficult decisions.

Another Reflection

Time seems to be whipping on by, leaving me stunned. It has already been two weeks since I have began reading "The Three Day Road" by Joseph Boyden and much has developed in these two weeks. I have learned a lot about the deep conflict involving war and even it's after effects. Such instances being: PTSD's as well as drug abuse. The book explores the mental dilemma of war, in both during the war and after. People are put in a position where if they don't kill, then they are killed themselves, a Darwinian system. With each page, my feeling of honor and respect grows for the people who fight in the war zone for it is them that allow the people back at home to be safe. Although much education is giving on the topic of war, I sometimes feel that war heroes aren't given the respect they deserve. Rest in peace.

Aboriginal Legacy

               We often ask ourselves questions like what would we be like in ten years, twenty years or when we are dead. We are only just asking what our future, our legacy is.  In “The Three Day Road” we are given a glimpse of the present conflict in the wartime for Aboriginals and their bravery. Already being tormented solely judged by their race, the Aboriginals still stood up for their country (in their eyes) Canada, and took the higher road by standing alongside with the Canadians. Their bravery was rewarded at that time, but does their legacy really stand today? Are people really grateful for the glorious deeds the Aboriginals did or were the faces of these minorities simply ignored? We may see the occasional honour for the First Nations but isn’t the government just counteracting these acts of kindness by having residential schools and land disputes? Is the Aboriginal legacy really protected or was it just washed away?

Reflection

After only a couple of chapters, I have completely entered into the fields of death. With gruesome and gut-wrenching imagery, the setting of World War Two just seems too real. Joseph Boyden effectively uses setting and character to carefully craft a rich plot line  In the heart of the battle, we are given a close feeling of what it was like to be an aboriginal fighting in the war. Both strenuous and heart-breaking, soldiers were put in the front of the line to protect their nation; Canada, a country that didn't even accept First Nations people at that time. It really contrasts immensely when compared to today’s society. However, are First Nations people treated with the same respect as other nationalities? Often it is hard to determine a scale, but I believe that although we have come a long way since World War Two even though there is still a tight conflict between both the First Nations and the government as well as the people of Canada. By underlining this conflict, Joseph Boyden continues to deepen the conflict by adding an atmosphere of suspense and fearful situations. In addition, with a close look into the characters Elijah and Xavier’s minds, the plot just becomes that more serious. Also, character development is also a big factor in strengthening plot. “Three Day Road” experiments with flashbacks, often going back and forwards in time to give hints and structure to a variety of aspects including character development as well as plot. In the story, there are two main characters which include Xavier and Elijah. In contrast to Elijah, Xavier is more controlled and smart. Xavier thinks entire situations out and is structurally organized. These contrasting attributes plays with the interactions between Xavier and Elijah, which effectively act as character foils. All in all, “Three Day Road” so far has been a great read.

Three Day Road

Often choosing a book is a journey in itself. It's not a simple task, but rather a strenuous one. Indeed, people say that a book can often be defined in a couple of sentences, that with the right words, you can sum up a book. I don't buy that. That's what separates the good books from the bad ones. A good book can never be defined in a couple of sentences and must be read in order to understand it's depth and message. "Three Day Road" by Joseph Boyden is an amazing book that tells of the adventures of Xavier and Elijah, young Cree boys in the warzone. After only reading two chapters, I felt immediately connected to the book and also began to connect it with the real world. The text and imagery genuinely drew me in. I began to wonder if the aboriginals in today's society are also treated with little decency. I had never experienced the hardships that were described in the book nor had I ever imaged pain that could be so excruciating. It made me ask myself, is the world really fair? What makes me more or less human than anyone else in the world? Those were two very valid and confusing questions I asked myself. I hope that as I continue my journey, I will begin to understand the hardships of World War I and how it shaped the world we live in today.