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Symbols
Stars symbolize wisdom and storytelling, especially the power of storytelling to convey the truth and connect people. According to Eldon Starlight’s friend Jimmy, the name “Starlight” was originally given to those who were taught by the Star People a long time ago. In Ojibway legend, the Star People descended from the stars and taught the wisest people, the Starlights, to become teachers and storytellers themselves. This positions the entire starlight family as storytellers, meant to connect people by telling the truth. Eldon’s mother loved to tell stories by the fireside, which is Eldon’s most precious childhood memory. Later, he falls in love with Angie, in part because her storytelling reminds him of his mother. Though Angie encourages Eldon to open up about his own stories, suggesting it will free him and make him lighter, he resists, having come to believe that stories only open old wounds. During his final days, though, Eldon finally tells his stories to Frank, believing they’re all he has to give. After this, shortly before he dies, Eldon says, “The stars are in us.” Though Frank can’t feel this himself, he agrees that being a “Starlight” makes sense for him, and the novel hints that Frank will carry on his family’s storytelling.
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Stars Symbol Timeline in Medicine Walk
The timeline below shows where the symbol Stars appears in Medicine Walk. The colored dots and icons indicate which themes are associated with that appearance.
Chapter 9
...open in awe. The kid sits beside him. They look at the symbols—painted birds, animals, stars, and other beings covering the entire wall, 20 feet up. At last, Eldon tells the...
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Chapter 17
...lost in the images of the war. When his father speaks again, he says that “Starlight” is a teacher’s name—Jimmy told him that one night in the war, saying that a...
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...battle. Then they sat against the wall of the trench. Eldon looked up at the stars and wondered if somehow his dead father got to settle down somewhere and learn about...
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...him stretch out and pours water into his mouth. With effort, his father rasps, “The stars are in us.”
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The kid tends the fire and looks at the shapes of the stars. He tries to feel the stars inside himself, but he just feels empty. After a...
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Chapter 22
...The kid wraps a blanket around his father, and they sit and look at the stars. Eldon says Angie would be proud to know Frank is her son. Rocking in pain,...
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