Plot & Setting
This is the city and decade where the events of The Break are primarily set.
What is North Winnipeg and the 2010's?
Meaning "grandmother" in Cree, this term is used for Flora as a sign of deep cultural respect.
What is Kookom?
This core conflict revolves around the characters dealing with intense feelings of anger, guilt, fear, and sadness while trying to uplift Emily.
What is Family vs. Trauma?
The author tells the story through this style, switching between many different characters.
What is multiple narrators? (or different perspectives)
The attack on Emily highlights the real-life dangers and safety issues faced by this specific group of people in Canada.
Who are Indigenous women and girls?
She is the thirteen-year-old Métis girl who is the victim of the central violent attack in the novel.
Who is Emily Traverse?
This Métis character feels deeply conflicted, believing himself caught awkwardly between Indigenous and non-Indigenous worlds.
Who is Tommy Scott?
his major theme describes how characters carry the historical weights of colonialism and ancestral struggles down through generations.
What is intergenerational trauma?
(TYPHOON!!!!!)
According to the presentation, violence is linked to history, poverty, and unfair treatment, which is also called this.
What is discrimination? (or racism)
This is the main emotional effect and painful shock that Emily and her family experience after the attack.
What is trauma?
This character sets the novel's investigation into motion after witnessing a violent assault from her window.
Who is Stella McGregor?
This character represents traditional Indigenous teachings, ancestral wisdom, and the guiding role of Elders.
Who is Flora (Kookom)?
This internal conflict plagues Stella following the initial incident in the field.
What is feeling guilty for not being able to stop Emily's assault?
The author argues that violence against Indigenous women is not an isolated event, but rather this type of widespread issue.
What is a systemic issue?
The story is set in Winnipeg's North End to highlight real-world neighborhood problems like poverty, inequality, and this major safety issue.
What is Crime?
The book is named after this specific field where the attack happens.
What is the Break?
(TYPHOON!!!!!)
Cheryl uses memory and this core Indigenous cultural tradition to keep the history of her sister, Rain, alive
What is storytelling?
Instead of trying to fix problems alone, characters in the book find their greatest strength by turning to this group.
What is their family? (or their community)
Despite the sad events in the book, the overall message at the end is about survival, healing, and this positive feeling.
What is hope?
The field called "The Break" doesn't just show where the crime happened; it also represents these unfair splits and inequalities between different groups in society.
What are social divisions? (or social inequality)
Katherena Vermette roots her story in present-day Canada to achieve this specific literary effect regarding real-world social problems.
What is making the story realistic and showing that these systemic issues still exist today?
Stella's reliance on her extensive family network following the trauma exemplifies this foundational Indigenous value.
What is kinship? (or collective responsibility)
This major theme in the book shows how the characters stay strong, survive, and heal even after going through a terrible tragedy.
What is resilience?
The author uses flashbacks to show characters' memories from this time in their lives.
What is the past?
Instead of breaking the family apart, the ultimate effect of the tragedy is that they come together to achieve this peaceful outcome.
What is healing? (or survival)
(TYPHOON!!!!!)