Previous
Water
The Sun Dance is a real ritual practiced by some Indigenous peoples in the U.S. and Canada, and in this novel, it becomes a symbol for authentic Indian culture and how outsiders will never quite understand it. Multiple characters in the novel, including Latisha’s ex-husband, George, want to photograph the Sun Dance, which is prohibited because of the sacred nature of the dancing. Although George is eager to participate in the ceremony, he doesn’t understand his status as an outsider and pushes far beyond the boundaries of what’s polite. His desire to take photos of the Sun Dance against everyone’s wishes reflects his desire to control and dominate both Latisha and Indian culture in general.
Similarly, Eli’s wife Karen (who is white) also becomes fascinated by the Sun Dance. She seems to take a genuine interest in the ceremony and is more respectful than George, and yet Eli can’t help feeling uncomfortable about Karen attending the ceremony. Partly, this is because Eli himself has had a complicated relationship with Indian culture ever since moving out of Blossom to Toronto. It’s also partly because Karen fails to see some of the differences between her and Eli, like the fact that her own family is very wealthy by his standards. Karen’s death before she can attend another Sun Dance means there is no ultimate resolution within the novel of the differences between white and Indian culture.
Sun Dance Quotes in Green Grass, Running Water
The Green Grass, Running Water quotes below all refer to the symbol of Sun Dance. For each quote, you can also see the other characters and themes related to it (each theme is indicated by its own dot and icon, like this one:
).
Part 2
Quotes
Eli had never seen someone so angry. It was hot in the car and the man was sweating, but it wasn’t from the heat. Eli could see the muscles on the man’s neck, could hear the violent, exaggerated motions with which he unloaded the camera and passed the film through the window to Orville.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 3
Quotes
After the first few years, Karen stopped talking about the Sun Dance and mentioned it only on those occasions when the trip appeared in conversation. It was a silent place in their lives. Eli knew Karen wanted to go back to Alberta, but he also knew she could sense his reluctance. At first Karen suggested that perhaps he felt uncomfortable about taking her along since she wasn’t Indian.
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Part 4
Quotes
“Come on,” said George. “Come on! It’s the twentieth century. Nobody cares about your little powwow. A bunch of old people and drunks sitting around in tents in the middle of nowhere. Nobody cares about any of this.”
“Go away, George,” said Latisha. “Just go away.”
“You’re a joke!” George’s lips were wet with spit. “You all act like this is important, like it’s going to change your lives. Christ, you guys are born stupid and you die stupid.”
Lionel picked up the case and set it on its feet. “There’s nothing for you here.”
Related Characters:
Related Symbols:
Page Number and Citation:
Explanation and Analysis:
Get the entire Green Grass, Running Water LitChart as a printable PDF.
Sun Dance Symbol Timeline in Green Grass, Running Water
The timeline below shows where the symbol Sun Dance appears in Green Grass, Running Water. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Part 2
...was growing up and his mother would take his family to an event called the Sun Dance that involved days of consecutive dancing. In the present, Sifton complains of all the rights...
(full context)
During the annual Sun Dance in Eli’s past, sometimes a tourist would wander in. One tourist tried to take pictures,...
(full context)
...a special person, but his mother replied that she and Norma would be at the Sun Dance then. Eli and Karen made plans to both go, but Eli warned Karen not to...
(full context)
When Karen first arrived with Eli for the Sun Dance , she was amazed at how beautiful it is, like something from a movie. They...
(full context)
Part 3
After Karen and Eli’s trip to the Sun Dance , they went back to Toronto. Karen started making plans to attend the next year’s...
(full context)
During her marriage with Eli, Karen stopped talking about the Sun Dance after a few years. Eventually, Karen started to get very sick and needed medication. She...
(full context)
Part 4
...was still with George, he suggested getting married in June and then honeymooning at the Sun Dance , something she had never considered but ultimately agreed to. They ended up spending a...
(full context)
...remission. She made plans to surprise Norma and Eli’s mother with a visit to the Sun Dance . At this point, Eli hadn’t seen his mother for 20 years and he was...
(full context)
...one point, they had a bad argument when George wanted to take photos of the Sun Dance and couldn’t see the problem. When Alberta goes to sleep that night, she still feels...
(full context)
...Blossom. They tell Lionel he can help them with something. They take him to the Sun Dance , where George is taking pictures again and Latisha is getting angry at him. Eli...
(full context)
