Three Day Road

Three Day Road

by

Joseph Boyden

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Three Day Road: Onatopaniwiw: Fighter Summary & Analysis

Summary
Analysis
For the short time that Xavier lived on the reservation, he was always with Elijah. “He protected me and I protected him,” Xavier says. Elijah and Xavier often made plans to run away. “One of the nuns keeps a rifle,” Elijah said “She keeps a good rifle and lots of bullets. I have seen it in her room.” But Elijah couldn’t get anywhere near it. He “was not good enough at sneaking,” and they were “forbidden” to go in the room. Niska hums softly from the front of the canoe, and Xavier begins to fall asleep.
It seems odd that Elijah would have a reason to be in the nun’s room, especially since it is “forbidden,” and it is later revealed that the nun is sexually abusing him. Abuse like this was rampant in the residential schools. Children who weren’t abused were neglected and forced to live in substandard conditions, and it has left a legacy of historical trauma that continues to affect Indigenous people today. This trauma could partially explain why Elijah has little empathy for others, since he has clearly been treated without empathy from an early age.
Themes
Racism and Assimilation Theme Icon
It is early spring on the frontlines, and Xavier has been suffering a “miserable thing called depression.” To make matters worse, he can’t stop thinking about Lisette. Elijah and Xavier find “what promises to be a good nest,” but Xavier can’t “focus in the field.” Elijah suggests they play a game and a keep a “running tally of hits and misses.” Xavier’s Mauser will be the prize, Elijah suggests. “After two weeks we tally our scores and the winner takes the prize.” Xavier smiles. Elijah is always trying to get his Mauser.
Elijah approaches killing here like playing “a game.” Each tally mark represents an actual person, but Elijah has complete disregard for human life. He thinks only of Xavier’s Mauser. Boyden again uses the word “nest” to describe their shooting platform, which harkens to Xavier and Elijah’s connection to the land. But Xavier can’t concentrate, which implies he is losing this connection and, in a way, his identity.
Themes
Nature, War, and Survival Theme Icon
After Xavier’s first kill, he had, for the first time, “felt like an ancestor, an awawatuk raider and warrior.” Xavier prayed to Gitchi Manitou and thanked him for allowing him to live. He can shoot now, knowing that it is for survival, “as long as [he] prays to Gitchi Manitou.” Gitchi Manitou “understands,” Xavier says. Xavier’s enemies probably don’t understand when he sends them “on the three-day road,” but they might understand when he “finally meets [them] again.” 
Xavier has respect for his enemies. He is forced to kill so he must, but he is remorseful and seeks forgiveness. Xavier still associates his Native identity with killing, however, and feels like an awawatuk the first time he kills, which reflects the racist assumptions of the wemistikoshiw. Boyden also references “the three-day road” as the journey toward death, which again implies that Xavier is on his own journey toward death. 
Themes
Racism and Assimilation Theme Icon
Nature, War, and Survival Theme Icon
In early April, McCaan tells Xavier and Elijah about an upcoming “offensive.” He talks fast and Xavier doesn’t understand. Not because of his English—his English has improved, and he understands most of what is said to him—but because his ears constantly ring. Elijah explains. They are to scout out a place in “no man’s land,” as close to the German line as possible, and take out the machine-gun nests during the attack. “You are going deaf,” Elijah concludes.
The wemistikoshiw have robbed Xavier of his communication in more ways than one. He can finally speak their language (not by choice), but he still can’t communicate because their war has made him deaf. He is also being sent in to scout one of the largest and bloodiest offensives of the war. Xavier is risking his life for the same people who clearly don’t care about him.
Themes
Racism and Assimilation Theme Icon
Language and Storytelling Theme Icon
Nature, War, and Survival Theme Icon
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The night before the offensive, Elijah and Xavier blacken their faces and crawl out into “no man’s land.” They spot a good place, close to the Germans as ordered, and wait until morning. McCaan said there will be “intense” shellfire as the men storm “no man’s land” and to be prepared. The sun rises, and the shellfire begins, and Xavier hears “the desperate roar of men scrambling their way over the top.” He looks through his scope at the German line. Their trenches have been blown to pieces and there is no sign of movement. 
Elijah and Xavier are incredibly close to the German lines, which is certainly a harrowing experience. The amount of trauma that Xavier and Elijah are forced to live through during the war is unimaginable, and it is no doubt part of what is “consuming” and slowly killing Xavier.
Themes
Nature, War, and Survival Theme Icon
Suddenly, Xavier notices movement on the German line, and men begin to climb out of the blown trenches. “Look at them all!” Elijah yells. Xavier puts his crosshairs on one of the soldiers and fires. The Canadian artillery begins to strike, and “the whole earth is on fire in front of [Xavier].” He shoots again as German machine guns cut down the advancing Canadians. Xavier catches some movement and sees what appears to be a machine-gun nest. He steadies himself and pulls the trigger.
The Germans have dug below their trenches and were only waiting to attack, but Elijah sounds almost excited to see them, and begins “pecking” them off like the old Indian man foresees on the train when Elijah and Xavier first leave for the war. Elijah never hesitates, but Xavier takes some time to begin shooting, further highlighting the relative disrespect that Elijah has for human life.
Themes
Nature, War, and Survival Theme Icon
Xavier is thrown back, and he can see the Canadian soldiers more clearly now. They are close—so close to the Germans that the men begin to use their bayonets, stabbing and slicing as they run. Gilberto runs up to Xavier and offers his hand. Just as Xavier grabs for it, Gilberto’s “face blooms into a red flower,” and he falls onto Xavier. He screams and jumps up, pushing Gilberto’s body to the side.
This close, hand-to-hand combat speaks to the raw violence of the war. It is also incredibly personal, and probably much more traumatic than just pulling a trigger. Gilberto’s face blooming into a red flower points to nature, which is again indifferent to the evil ways of humans.
Themes
Nature, War, and Survival Theme Icon
Xavier jumps into a German trench and looks around. A young German charges him with a rifle. Xavier “sidesteps” him and thrusts his bayonet deep into the German’s belly. Xavier turns, to keep from “throwing up,” and a second German, a large man with red hair, charges him. Xavier buries his bayonet in the man’s back and falls as he pulls it out. The man staggers over to him and wraps his large hands around Xavier’s throat. “He is no monster, just a man,” Xavier thinks as he runs out of air. McCaan appears and places his revolver to the man’s temple. He pulls the trigger and “calmly” moves to the next trench, firing as he goes.
Xavier frequently becomes sick to his stomach when he is forced to kill, and this kill is particularly traumatic. This is definitely a kill or be killed situation—he has to do it, just like he had to kill the marten in the beginning of the novel—but he has to fight the urge to vomit this time as well. There is a huge difference between Xavier and McCaan, who “calmly” shoots a man pointblank in the head. Xavier sees an actual “man,” not a “monster,” when he looks at his enemy. Xavier has a respect for his enemy that his fellow soldiers seem to lack. 
Themes
Nature, War, and Survival Theme Icon