Chapters 1-16
Saul grew up near this place. He is deeply connected to this land.
What is God’s Lake?
Saul uses these to practice his hockey skills.
What is horse turds?
Saul joins this team after leaving residential school.
What is the Moose?
Saul ends up in this place to begin healing.
What is a treatment center?
The loss of language and culture represents this concept.
What is assimilation?
This family member teaches Saul about stories and the land.
Who is Naomi?
Saul is placed on this type of team at the residential school.
What is the school hockey team?
Saul travels to these places to play hockey at a higher level.
What are larger towns/Toronto?
Saul begins to confront his past through this process.
What is therapy?
Saul’s reliance on hockey represents this broader theme in the novel.
What is escape from trauma?
This priest introduces Saul to hockey.
Who is Father Leboutilier?
Other players and teams often treat Saul this way because of his identity.
What is with racism?
Saul begins to experience increasing violence from others during these.
What are hockey games?
Saul returns to this place as part of his healing journey.
What is God’s Lake?
Saul’s healing is strongly tied to this.
What is the land?
Naomi chooses to take Saul into the wilderness to protect him from this.
What is being taken to residential school?
Saul becomes known for this unique hockey ability that sets him apart.
What is his ability to see plays before they happen?
Saul starts coping with his pain in this way.
What is drinking alcohol?
Saul comes to understand that his success in hockey helped him do this.
What is avoid facing his trauma?
The silence of Saul’s family about residential schools represents this.
What is intergenerational trauma?
Saul’s connection to the land symbolizes this.
What is his cultural identity?
Saul’s talent contrasts with this harsh reality he continues to face.
What is discrimination?
Saul’s growing anger on the ice reflects this internal struggle.
What is his unresolved trauma?
Saul’s healing is ultimately connected to this.
What is the land and his culture?
Saul’s survival through abuse, racism, and addiction demonstrates this essential quality.
What is resilience?