Themes of Forgiveness
The speaker is repeatedly told to forgive after this natural disaster: caused by a broken dam, affects the land and people" What is the natural disaster?
What is a flood?
The Grand Coulee Dam, mentioned in the poem, is located on this river in Washington state. Which river?
Columbia River
"This creature's journey upstream represents the poem's theme of endurance and survival despite human interference. What is the creature?
What is salmon?
The speaker must forgive, despite the challenges faced by their people, such as flooding and displacement from these? What are "these"?
What are dams?
The floodwaters from the broken dam eventually reach this major body of water, marking the end of their jouney. What is this major body of water?
What is the Pacific Ocean?
The salmon's leap is accompanied by this natural event, symbolizing transformation and new beginnings. What is the natural event?
What is lightning?
The speaker's repeated statement, " I am told by many of you that I must forgive," suggests a struggle with this emotion . What is the emotion?
What is anger?
The salmon in the poem swims upstream through this river, where it joins the Columbia River. What is the river?
What is the Spokane River?
The poem describes the destructive power of the floodwaters, which rise after the dam is broken, representing the force of this. What is the cause of broken dams?
What is water?
The speaker's willingness to forgive is tied to the destruction of the Grand Coulee Dam and the subsequent rise of this element" What is the element?
What is water?
The salmon travels past this contaminated site, once home to nuclear reactors and now symbolizing environmental harm. What is the site?
What is Hanford?
The salmon's stories bring these three gifts to the tribe: teaching, laughter, and the reason to do this. What is the third gift?
What is dance?
The phrase: " I am told by many of you that I must forgive" suggests a theme of external pressure and this internal emotional process. What is the internal emotional process?
What is forgiveness?
The speaker waits alone in a secret bay on this type of land, significant to Native American communities. What is the type of land?
What is a reservation?
The poem's imagery suggests that even after destruction, nature has the power to do this, symbolized by the salmon's migration What does nature have the power to do?
What is heal/restore?