Medicine River

Fiction | Novel | Adult | Published in 1990

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Summary

Background

Chapter Summaries & Analyses

Chapters 1-4

Chapters 5-9

Chapters 10-13

Chapters 14-18

Character Analysis

Themes

Symbols & Motifs

Important Quotes

Essay Topics

Tools

Discussion Questions

Essay Topics

Photography is a persistent motif in the novel. How does Thomas King represent photography and photographs? What can they do and what can’t they do in relation to the theme of the Intersections of Past and Present? Why do they matter so much to Will?

Thomas King writes as though Will is telling stories to an old friend. How is this achieved, and how does it add to the sense of community that is woven throughout the novel?

How is life in an Alberta Blackfoot community like Medicine River different from life elsewhere? How is it the same, and why is this story relatable even to those who live very different lives?