Previous
Chapter 19
Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in The Sign of the Beaver, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Survival and Indigenous Knowledge
Colonialism, Land Rights, and Entitlement
Nature
Friendship and Respect
Coming of Age and Manhood
Summary
Analysis
Matt spends the next few days finishing his chores as quickly as possible so that when Attean comes, he can go to the village. But Attean doesn’t come for a week, and when he arrives, he’s very serious. He barely listens to Matt read a story, and he can’t remember the words he learned last week. Attean explains that Saknis has been teaching him things, and it’ll be hunting time soon. This makes Matt hopeful that it isn’t his fault Attean hasn’t come; he knows Attean is desperate to hunt with the men and has no doubt been trying to prove he’s ready to hunt.
Matt seems to expect that being invited to the village once means that his and Attean’s day-to-day relationship is going to change, and Matt will be spending more time with other boys their age. However, Attean makes it clear that life continues to go on for him—his life isn’t going to change dramatically just because Matt is now welcome in the village. Matt, it’s worth noting, is being somewhat self-centered here in thinking Attean’s absence is all about him.
Themes
Attean says he’s not going to come back to visit for a long time. Matt says that Attean is going hunting, but Attean says he’s finding his “manitou.” Noting Matt’s confusion, Attean explains the word roughly translates to “spirit,” and all boys have to find theirs. Matt is genuinely curious to hear more, so Attean says that boys become men when they find their manitou. Though Saknis has been teaching Attean the skills he’ll need, this is something a boy must do all on his own. Attean says he’ll go into the forest alone, bathe carefully, and take a medicine. After making himself a wigwam, he’ll stay there for days without eating and only drinking a little in the evenings. He’ll sing songs, pray, and wait until his manitou appears. Then he can go home as a man and a hunter.
Matt’s reaction and genuine curiosity represents a big change for him. While previously he wrote off Native traditions (as when he assumed Attean was wearing “war paint”) or didn’t try to understand (as when Attean told the story featuring Gluskabe), Matt now expresses genuine curiosity. Attean reveals that his culture has a very set ritual that allows boys to become men, which sets Attean up to formally come of age in the coming weeks. It also ties manhood to being able to provide: as a man, Attean can join the hunt and help provide for the tribe.
Themes
Matt asks a few more questions, but he’s instantly ashamed when he asks what happens if no manitou comes. Attean looks sad and even afraid as he says that he’ll wait until his manitou comes. Matt realizes he doesn’t understand and never will. There’s nothing he can say or do to help. He also knows that if Attean finds his manitou, Attean will go with the men. Matt asks if Attean will come back when he finds his manitou, and Attean promises he will. Every night after this, Matt thinks about how cold and hungry Attean must be out in the forest. He hopes Attean’s fears never come true and that Attean finds his manitou—even if it means that Attean’s adventures with Matt will end.
Part of the reason Matt asks such an insensitive question is because he genuinely has no frame of reference for such a ritual. However, he very maturely understands that this is something he can’t understand—but he realizes that part of being a good friend is supporting Attean however he can, and hoping that Attean will succeed. It’s not necessary, this suggests, to know all the intricacies of a friend’s culture to be a good friend—Matt just has to do what he can to show Attean he cares.
Themes
