Through+Black+Spruce

__**Through Black Spruce by Joseph Boyden **__

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Through Black Spruce is a great novel for any English (or Canadian history) classroom. It deals with many issues surrounding the decline of Native culture through the experiences of Will Bird and his niece Annie. Both of them have many life experiences that they relate to one another. Will Bird was a pilot and has had a traumatic life and gets involved in a some trouble which leads to him lying in a hospital. Annie visits him telling him her story. It is set in our own modern society, which students will be able to identify with as well as it is set northern Ontario, Toronto, Montreal and New York. Many of these places, students have been to or are currently living in. Annie visits these cites looking for her sister Suzanne who disappeared and she follows in her footsteps becoming a model as well as getting herself tangled in some serious situations. Students may be able to identify with the text and have a greater understanding of the experiences Annie has in these cities. Current social, cultural and political views promote change and students can analyse these various aspects of their own Country. It is also significant because it is written by a Canadian author who discusses Natives. Natives are generally not discussed in most English classes and yet they are integral to our country. It is important to teach using authors who are of a different culture and who create new insights within the reader regarding Canadian society. =====

__**In what grade level / course would you teach this text? Are there other courses for which it might also be appropriate? **__

This novel would be appropriate for grade eleven, Canadian Literature class (ETC3M) because the novel is not only written by a Canadian author but it is set in Canada, with a focus on Native Canadians. It deals with diverse cultures and regions of Canada which is relevant to the course. The novel could also be taught in grade twelve, Studies in Literature (ETS4U) as it is a course that focuses on themes, genres, time periods, or countries of different literature. Similarly, //Through Black Spruce// could be taught in a grade eleven or twelve, university English course (ENG3U and ENG4U). These courses would be appropriate because it is a novel that could be used for analysis and critical thinking but the older grades would be suitable because of the content of the novel and the themes and ideas the author discusses. //Through Black Spruce// would also be appropriate for Canadian History classes because of its discussion of Natives in Canada over different generations.

__**What are the main ideas/ issues/ teaching points which you would emphasize when teaching the text? **__

**Textual: ** This novel is a good for teaching plot structure, narration, character as well as teaching techniques of analysis and close reading. The plot structure is complex, as the time shifts from the past and the present consistently. Also, the narration changes between Will and Annie furthering the complexity. The novel is a good representation of these characteristics. I would focus on the use of memory and perspective within the text.

The main theme that is essential to teaching this novel is the __death of Native culture__. This could be analysed through the use of the past and present perspectives of the narrators and their generational experiences. This topic could be connected to a variety of subtopics such as family, oral storytelling, nature, history and drug and alcohol abuse.

**History: ** The history of residential schools and reserves contributed to the decline of Native culture. This is an essential aspect for understanding the decline of Native culture and how the government’s policies contributed to the decline. It is important to teach students about the historical context surrounding the novel in order for them to understand how it affected the characters over the generations to the present day.

**Family: ** Family is an important topic to be discussed, as this is an essential theme in the novel. There are conflicts between what individual characters do and the effect it has on the family. This theme could be connected to Native culture and society as well.

**Oral Narratives: ** The novel is based upon two narrators, Will and Annie, who tell their individual stories to each other. Their stories are oral narratives. Students could be taught about Native oral narratives and its importance to Native culture.

**Nature: ** Nature, is prevalent in the novel as both narrators hunt and fish as well as respect nature. Once again, this can be connected to Native culture but also can be contrasted with the views of Canadians and Americans who live in large cities (Toronto, Montreal and New York). Also, it is in these cities where the discrepancies between the Native way of life and the big city views. Societies views on culture, beauty, and materialism could be analysed throughout the book as comparisons between past and present, Native and white could be contrasted. This once again deals with the decline in Native culture as these two perspectives often conflict with one another.

__**<span style="color: black; font-family: '@Arial Unicode MS','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">What are the issues/ challenges you might encounter in teaching the text? **__

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Length: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">When students initially see the novel they may feel intimidated by its length and might feel discouraged from reading its 410 pages. This also means that it would take a longer time for a teacher to teach the novel since it needs more time to cover and prepare lessons for than a shorter novel.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Historical Context: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Students may also need some Canadian and Native history background when reading //Through Black Spruce// because of the content surrounding the Natives such as residential schools, reserves, government policies and Native traditions and culture. Although, a student could understand the novel as a whole they would not be able to understand the themes and importance of the novel; what the author is trying to argue. From experience, it is very important in giving students a pre-lesson on the historical and social context of the novel that will be taught so they will understand the novel more profoundly.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Content: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">In terms of the novel content a few issues may arise such as the vulgar language or commentary that is used in some areas of the novel. Students may feel offended by the language or cultural commentary that often is offensive or stereotypical. Issues surrounding race, religion and gender could possibly upset some students. There are also a few sections of the novel that are sexual in nature. Once again, students may feel uncomfortable with reading these parts of the novel and that is why it is suggested that it should be taught in the senior high school grades. More mature students would be suitable for analysing and critically thinking about //Through Black Spruce//.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Style: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">The novel does shift in time, from past, present and future, as well as it shifts between the two narrators, Annie and Will. Students could potentially encounter some difficulty with this style and the teacher may have to clarify in some areas if difficulty does arise. This also means that when reading is assigned that the novel should be split into sections that will not cause more confusion.

**<span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%;">Popular Culture: ** <span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman','serif'; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 150%; margin: 0cm 0cm 0pt;">Parts of the novel mention aspects from popular culture that some students may not understand, such as the mention particular television shows and Michael Jackson. For instance, there is a mention of when Michael Jackson held his baby over the balcony. If the student does not know about this they will not understand the connections the narrator is making. Although, most of the references are current there might be students who do not understand.

__**<span style="color: black; font-family: '@Arial Unicode MS','sans-serif'; font-size: 12pt;">Possible assignment / activity and its connection to curriculum expectations **__

<span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman',Times,serif; font-size: 120%;">In one of the overall expectations for the Canadian Literature course is the role of literature in society. Through Black Spruce is significant in fostering social, cultural and political awareness while promoting change. These are a part of the specific expectations of the course. This assignment would be appropriate for a culminating activity after the novel has been completed by the students. Students could be asked to choose one specific social, cultural or political force from the novel to research and present to the class. The teacher should assist students by giving them a list to choose from. Topics could be on reserves, residential schools, Native culture, gender roles, and materialism and vanity in society. Each student would be required to research their topic and relate it to the novel, finding evidence from the text, showing how Joseph Boyden is trying to promote awareness and change. They would then have to hand in their research in the form of a essay or report for evaluation. They would also be required to create an advertisement on their chosen topic that would promote change. This advertisement would be presented to the class and teacher. In this way students can both work on their research skills, the ability to apply and connect it to what they read and work on their writing. The advertisement would get them to once again practice their ability to apply their knowledge in a creative way that deals with visuals as well as practice their oral communication skills.