Green Grass Running Water--Close Analysis

The Christian religion is often charged with having shaped created a poor image of femininity that has caused the degradation of women for many centuries. Similarly, western civilization has perpetuated the idea that non-white people are not the same as white people. They have done this by enslaving, killing, and crushing the wills of “minorities” and bending history to make white people seem superior. In Thomas King’s novel, Green Grass Running Water, the similarities between the oppression of women and the oppression of the “colored” is often subtly noted to show that Indians and women are both being held down by white males.

Throughout the novel there are very few likable and strong male characters. Charlie is “slick” and “sleazy” (234) and can’t keep a monogamous relationship. Lionel can’t make decisions on his life. Amos comes home inebriated and yelling right before he abandons his family, and Bob can’t handle having an independent wife who won’t succumb to his every desire so he leaves her. Also, throughout the novel there are very few likable and strong white characters. Bill Bursum has almost no respect for Indians and he often generalizes his statements, saying things like “‘I’ll bet you get all that easy Indian business’” (89). Dr. Hovaugh is another white character who obsesses over the loss of the four Indians, but doesn’t really seem to worry about their well-being or what they’ll do, he just wants them to be gone. His sentiments are shown as he pleads with John Elliot. “‘They’re dead’….‘I can feel it. All four of them. We just need the certificates. Heart attack, cancer, old age. I don’t care. Be creative’” (49). Most blatantly, King shows his disdain for white people in the stories of the four Indian women, who are repeatedly imprisoned by white soldiers on the charge of “Being Indian” (77). The most antagonistic character in the book is actually George, a white male. Not only does George “beat the hell out of [Latisha]” (59), but he also disrespects the sanctity of the Sun Dance by trying to take pictures.

The strong female roles of the novel often humorously point out the inadequacies of the male gender or the white race. When Latisha tells her mother that she thinks George is “more stupid than Latisha t could ever have guessed whites could be stupid” (213), her mother makes the transition from whites to males when she says “‘Quite a few men are like that, honey’” (213). Latisha’s children even portray the difference between males and females. The two sons Christian and Benjamin waited for them mother to come help them in their crib, but the daughter is “silent and determined” (268) as she crawls out by herself. Latisha later states that “‘Men get bored easy…most of them don’t have much of an imagination’” (409). Her statement is emphasized as she looks back and sees her two sons slapping each other for fun. King makes these humorous yet meaningful statements about men to show that although men are able to beat their wives and gain more money, they are not smarter or more respectable.

King skillfully shows that women have to deal with similar problems that Indians have to deal with. Noah has a very specific conviction of how women should look: “Thou Shalt Have Big Breasts” (162). Hollywood producers have a very specific image of Indians as well; this is shown by the fact that Portland has to wear a fake nose just to get a job. Later Noah yells to Changing Woman “if you can’t follow our Christian rules, then you’re not wanted on the voyage” (163) because she won’t procreate with him. Alberta’s husband has a similar idea when he divorces her because she refuses to abandon her education and have children with him. In another instance Alberta tries to be independent and have a child by herself, but she is unable to do so safely because of the regulations of the clinic. The Indians try to be independent and perform their rituals, but they can’t because of the regulations of the American border patrol. King blatantly portrays women and non-whites as one in his telling of “Moby-Jane, the Great Black Whale” (220). Captain Ahab can’t stand the idea of being defeated annually by someone who isn’t white or male, so he pretends that his nemesis is both and kills anyone who says otherwise.

Although King’s novel centers around the oppression of Indians, he ties in male’s domination over females. From the satirical stories of sexism and racism we can learn that King is not simply worried about Indians, he is writing about the balance of power of society in general, not just the balance of power for different ethnicities.