Three Day Road
Memory as a Way of Healing
“Life is all memory except for the one present moment that goes by so quick you can hardly catch it going” -Williams. Memory plays an important role in one’s life; it is also one of the main themes of the two texts “Three Day Road” by Joseph Boyden, and “Simple Recipes” by Madeleine Thein. The role of memory in the two stories is played from the start to the end, and they are made up by memories. Memory has created a unique feeling in the formation of the two stories. It is obvious that the use of memory telling through the two contexts Three Day Road and Simple Recipes creates a way of healing and purifying the characters’ heart, further falls deep in connection to the characters.
Throughout the novel “Three Day Road” by Joseph Boyden and the story “Simple Recipes” by Madeleine Thein, the use of memory telling acts as a way of alleviating guilt for the characters in the two stories. Elijah in “Three Day Road” chooses to tell Xavier detailed stories about what he has done or how he feels even when their friendship seems to be strained and Xavier mentions that he does not want to talk to Elijah anymore. However, Elijah follows Xavier around like a pesky child in order to tell him stories about the ways in which he has killed Germans during his solitary night time raids, how he has taken morphine, or how he is feeling when he realizes there is a change within him. Elijah personally feels compelled to tell Xavier every sinful act he has committed because he sees Xavier as holy and pure. Elijah uses his memory telling as a way of alleviating any guilt he may feel about what he has done, as he sees his confessions to Xavier as a confession to a priest or even God himself. In addition, even after Elijah has been killed and Niska is trying to heal Xavier in the matatosowin, Elijah’s spirit arrives and he needs to hear that Xavier has forgiven him “I listen as Nephew accepts forgiveness too” (P398) in order for his spirit to move on. In
“Life is all memory except for the one present moment that goes by so quick you can hardly catch it going” -Williams. Memory plays an important role in one’s life; it is also one of the main themes of the two texts “Three Day Road” by Joseph Boyden, and “Simple Recipes” by Madeleine Thein. The role of memory in the two stories is played from the start to the end, and they are made up by memories. Memory has created a unique feeling in the formation of the two stories. It is obvious that the use of memory telling through the two contexts Three Day Road and Simple Recipes creates a way of healing and purifying the characters’ heart, further falls deep in connection to the characters.
Throughout the novel “Three Day Road” by Joseph Boyden and the story “Simple Recipes” by Madeleine Thein, the use of memory telling acts as a way of alleviating guilt for the characters in the two stories. Elijah in “Three Day Road” chooses to tell Xavier detailed stories about what he has done or how he feels even when their friendship seems to be strained and Xavier mentions that he does not want to talk to Elijah anymore. However, Elijah follows Xavier around like a pesky child in order to tell him stories about the ways in which he has killed Germans during his solitary night time raids, how he has taken morphine, or how he is feeling when he realizes there is a change within him. Elijah personally feels compelled to tell Xavier every sinful act he has committed because he sees Xavier as holy and pure. Elijah uses his memory telling as a way of alleviating any guilt he may feel about what he has done, as he sees his confessions to Xavier as a confession to a priest or even God himself. In addition, even after Elijah has been killed and Niska is trying to heal Xavier in the matatosowin, Elijah’s spirit arrives and he needs to hear that Xavier has forgiven him “I listen as Nephew accepts forgiveness too” (P398) in order for his spirit to move on. In