Themes
Key
LitCharts assigns a color and icon to each theme in Moon of the Crusted Snow, which you can use to track the themes throughout the work.
Technology, Society, and Survival
Colonialism, Oppression, and Trauma
Selfishness vs. Selflessness
Gender, Power, and Wisdom
Summary
Analysis
Sunlight bounces off the deep snow, and Evan feels calm as he smokes in solitude, although paranoia is growing in the town. He pinches out his cigarette, thinking that it might finally be a good time to quit, since he can’t get more tobacco anyway. Suddenly, Evan hears a snowmobile in the distance, and he instantly starts worrying. He grabs his rifle just in case. The black snowmobile, pulling a black trailer approaches and stops. The driver raises his hands as he approaches, to show that he’s unarmed. He says, “I come in peace,” before bursting into laughter; Evan isn’t amused.
Even though Evan is smoking for personal reasons, the Anishinaabe also use tobacco for indigenous rituals. The dwindling tobacco supply on the reservation symbolizes First Nations people’s depleted cultural heritage, which was gradually suppressed under colonialist oppression. The story’s crisis central—and the way it depletes the community—is also an allegory for First Nations people’s losses under colonialism. This idea is further developed with the arrival of the snowmobile driver, who represents incoming white settlers in the allegory.
Themes
The man introduces himself as Justin Scott. He’s a white man who looks to be in his mid-thirties; he’s big, bald, and burly. Evan wants to know how Justin found the reservation. Scott replies that he followed the sled tracks. Evan’s hair stands on end—the man must have followed Kevin and Nick. Isaiah pulls up and runs over, looking alarmed. Evan doesn’t want the situation to escalate, so he motions to Isaiah to be calm. They shake hands, and Scott says that he knows Ojibwe hospitality is unrivaled, so he’d like to stay. Isaiah’s eyes narrow, and he grows more hostile.
Scott’s arrival on the reservation metaphorically represents incoming settlers who arrived in the Americas, seeking refuge from their difficult lives in Europe. Scott is also an imposing person who embodies many traits associated with patriarchal authority in North America. Like many leaders in North American society today, he’s young, physically intimidating, and white.
Themes
Scott explains that 10 days ago, his town lost power and communication, and the situation deteriorated. He’d heard about Gibson as two boys returned to his town from there. So, Scott went to see if there were any survivors and followed the tracks north. He has plenty of supplies to last the winter, and he wants to stay. Isaiah explains that they’ll have to discuss it with the council. The community interacts with white contractors sometimes, but no white casually stop by the reservation like this. Tyler approaches with flyers about the meeting tomorrow. When Tyler sees Scott, he immediately leaves to fetch the council members.
Scott reveals that the blackout is widespread, and that his own town swiftly devolved into chaos like Gibson did without technology. This further emphasizes the fragility of technology-dependent societies. Instead of remaining in his town to weather the crisis within his own community, Scott fled, and he wants to settle on the reservation—much like early European settlers did when they first arrived in the Americas.
Themes
Scott wants to see the flyers, but Evan and Isaiah refuse to show him. They stand in awkward silence, watching Scott warily. Terry and Walter arrive and introduces themselves. Scott shakes their hands. He says it’s an honor to meet them and humbly asks for refuge. Scott’s voice cracks as he says that he’s seen terrible things. Evan’s shocked by Scott’s vulnerability, but he still doesn’t trust him. Terry asks why they should trust Scott, and Scott replies he’s a simple man. He has plenty of supplies, and he hopes they believe him.
Scott wants to earn the community’s trust—which he does by showing vulnerability and respecting Terry and Walter’s authority as elders in the community. Yet the men’s instinctive wariness implies that Scott’s deference to the community’s traditions may soon prove to be short-lived.
Themes
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The men huddle together. Evan and Walter don’t trust Scott, but Terry doesn’t want to turn someone away to die. They agree to let Scott stay, as long as he contributes by hunting or gathering wood. They decide to put Scott in the health station to start with, and then move him to somebody’s house to conserve heat after he makes a contribution to the community and shows himself to be trustworthy. Evan jokes that they should make him pay one moose a week for his rent, though Walter seriously considers the idea. Scott humbly accepts their offer, and he agrees to keep a low profile so that he doesn’t alarm the community.
Terry’s compassion for Scott, as well as the community’s hospitality, allude to the way historical First Nations people greeted European settlers who arrived in the Americas seeking refuge, having fled their own homelands. Evan, Walter, Scott, and Terry reveal that they’ll let Scott stay if he contributes to the community, emphasizing the deep community ethic that prevails on the reservation.
Themes
