Summary of Keeper'n Me by Richard Wangamese - Book Report/Review Example

Keeper’ n me Book Review Biography of Richard Wangamese Richard Wangamese is an author and journalist who identifies himself as an Ojibway that comes from Wabasseemoong First Nation in the North Western part of Ontario. The 59 year-old novelist faced childhood abuse and lack of parental love in his early years of life. He lived with foster parents for a significant period in his childhood, moving from foster home to foster home. He was in a sense of denial about his identity and never made it known to people. He hated himself and engaged in drug abuse in order to avoid the reality of his life. Richard reconnected with his parents and family in his twenties, although he still felt out of place. A Ukranian-Canadian man came to his rescue by helping him understand his identity as Ojibway and to be proud of himself. The man convinced Wangamese to learn the Ojibway language and appreciate its culture. Wangamese finds writing as a powerful tool of expression that is useful for distracting himself from feelings of displacement. His life is a journey of struggling to fit into society and in the end he manages to overcome his challenges and becomes an inspiration to many people. He has written other books like For Joshua, Dream Wheels, Ragged Company, Runaway Dreams, and One Native Life. Plot The story begins in White Dog at the time of the well-known sixties scoop era. The main character of the novel is a Native American boy by the name Garnet Raven. The other main character is Keeper, a man who is a recovered alcoholic and was a friend to Garnet’s grandfather, Harold. At his young age, Garnet together with his siblings, detach from their parents involuntarily. They go to different homes and lose contact with each other. In his childhood, Garnet Raven is always on the move from one foster home to another, and from city to city. Garnet later finds people who accommodate and befriend him. As a young man, he spends a significant part of his life in Toronto, where he starts taking alcohol and abusing drugs. The authorities arrest him and put him in jail for being in possession of illegal drugs and substances. As he almost completes his jail term, his elder brother, Stanley, writes to him. Stanley gives Garnet details on who he is and narrates the account of events that took place twenty years ago. In the letter, Stanley invites Garnet to reunite with other family members at the reserve. On getting to the reserve, Garnet finds it difficult to fit into the society. He then meets Keeper, who understands his situation and is willing to help him. Keeper welcomes Garnet and takes him through the path to self-understanding and self-identity. Keeper also teaches Garnet the culture and lifestyle of the people within the reserve. These efforts by Keeper pay off, as Garnet gains insight on who he is and is able to live in the reserve comfortably. What is written This book is in use by many scholars and is in the curriculum of some institutions of higher learning for literature studies. The theme of the novel is identifying oneself. The main character of the novel, Garnet Raven, is a person who is unable to understand his life and is keen to hide his identity. He tries to hide his Indian identity by associating himself with Mexicans, Blacks, and Asians. This identity crisis makes him run away from foster homes in a bid to find his place in the society. The process of identifying oneself is a difficult one as is revealed in the novel. The novel portrays Garnet as a man who is at not peace with himself and therefore engages in deviant behavior in order to find comfort. Garnet indulges in alcohol and substance abuse in his quest to fit into society, but this only makes him go to prison. The writer emphasizes on the value of self-fulfillment, understanding, and happiness as the gateway to positive interaction and influence to others. After recovering from alcohol abuse, Keeper is now able to extend help to Garnet in overcoming life challenges. The novel presents the sense of completeness that comes with self-identity. Keeper is committed to help Garnet understand himself and relate well with the people in the reserve. Garnet finds a friend and confidant in Keeper, the only person who understands his challenges. Keeper finally manages to transform Garnet, making him a complete person. Garnet’s life is more fulfilling and complete after understanding and accepting himself. The novel also explains the need to help other realize their potential. Garnet is grateful to Keeper for helping him realize his potential and transforming his life from self-hatred to happiness. Lessons learnt As much as individuals try to run away from the challenges of life, they cannot run away from themselves. Garnet spent most of his time moving from one foster home to another, in a bid to find a society that fits him. The truth is, society does not fit into a person, but it is a person that fits in society. Garnet’s self-denial made it difficult for him to find any society as welcoming because he did not want to deal with his attitude. For an individual to change the thinking of the society, one needs to start with his/her own thinking. Having overcome his alcoholic lifestyle and self-identity issues, Keeper was now in a better position to influence the thinking of Garnet. Keeper has the experience of what it feels like to go through life challenges and is willing to help Garnet live a better life. The other lesson learnt is that in order to feel complete, an individual cannot be filled with things from outside but from within them. One has to identify what makes him/her feel that there is a gap in their lives and develop an inner conviction, and the will to fill the gap. This effort to be complete requires honesty with oneself and meditation. The knowledge and acceptance of one’s identity is a process and not an event. Stanley sends a letter to Garnet with expectations that he will know him and understand what took place 20 years back. Garnet still finds it hard to understand himself and co-exist with his family members. It takes the intervention of Keeper to help him understand himself and find a place in the reserve. Garnet learns how to accept himself and positively relate with other people at the reserve. The discovery of one-self is the beginning of a happy life. When people discover themselves, they are able to identify their strengths and work on their weakness to make their lives happy. Self-acceptance comes with the identification of strengths and weaknesses, leading to a more fulfilling life. At the end of the novel, Garnet enjoys his life and finds happiness in relating with his family since he accepts and understands himself. What I think about the novel The novel Keeper’ N Me is a reflection of Richard Wangamese’s life. The novelist did not want to expressly write this as a bibliography, but decided to use another person to fit his part. The writer uses Garnet as character that portrays his early life and struggles for self-acceptance and identity. The biography of the Ojibway novelist and the plot of the Keeper’ N Me have significant similarities. The novelist wants to inspire others to take the initiative of understanding themselves and accept their real person. I think that the happiness and peace that comes with accepting oneself is the point of emphasis in this novel. Reference Wagamese, R. (2011). Keeper'n me. S.l.: Anchor Canada. Read More