Theme of Maturity in Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese Essay Example

“Maturity, the way I understand it, is knowing what your limitations are” (Kurt Vonnegut).  In the novel Indian Horse by Richard Wagamese, the protagonist Saul Indian Horse has a story where he becomes more mature throughout his journey at St. Jerome’s Residential School. The residential school traumatized Saul in so many ways.  Hockey was Saul’s escape from the real world because he would play hockey to have fun and get his mind off things. Saul begins his coming of age journey when he is placed in a residential school without any family, then he finds hockey, which helps him overcome his trauma, ultimately reaching maturity by the end of the novel by getting the help he needs to fully heal.  

Saul was a very scared young boy who started his coming of age journey in the residential school system and yet was suffering all alone without his family there with him. Being alone in the residential school was already hard for Saul, but learning to survive there without the people he loves is even worse. Saul says, “So I retreated. That’s how I survived. Alone. When the tears threatened to erupt from me at night I vowed they would never hear me cry. I ached in solitude. What I let them see was a quiet, withdrawn boy, void of feeling” (Wagamese 32). This quote provides proof of how Saul survived alone and how he matured by himself due to the fact he learned to express his emotions to himself and not to the outer world. This helps Saul mature and become more confident in himself. Crying and expressing your emotions are ways of maturing in life. Saul learned to control his emotions, which made him more mature. All the children at the residential school had a major loss. “There wasn’t a one of us that didn’t cry for the loss of the life we’d known before” (Wagamese 32). Simply letting your emotions out helps relieve the pain. In this quote, the children in the residential school, including Saul, let their emotions out due to losing such a fun and happy life previously. Therefore, Saul learns to become more mature throughout his experiences at the residential school.  

Saul’s escape from reality was hockey. He had a passion for hockey. Saul realized how much hockey helped him throughout his journey in the residential school. Saul states “At first, I was simply grateful for my proximity to the game. But then I began to stash a hockey stick in the snow beside the boards” (Wagamese 35). He became addicted to hockey because of how reliving it was from the real world and simply how fun it was. He started to hide the hockey stick beside the boards just so he could have more time on the ice. Saul was always excited and was his only happiness during his time at the residential school. Saul says “I’d stand there, arms held high in triumph, and I would not feel lonely or afraid, deserted or abandoned, but connected to something far bigger than myself. Then I’d climb back into bed and sleep until the dawn woke me and I could walk back out to the rink again” (Wagamese 36). This quote provides proof of why hockey was Saul’s escape. He always looked forward to going to that rink because Saul knew it was his happiness. In conclusion, Saul’s hockey life helped him heal and mature throughout his journey at St. Jerome.  

When Saul got older and out of the residential school system, he realizes he needs to get the help he needs to overcome his trauma. Saul talked to Virgil to release his stress and anxiety from the traumatizing experience he had during his childhood at the residential school. “ I understood then how hard years are to get a hold of, how elusive the life in them can be to capture and retell” (Wagamese 123). When Saul talks to Virgil, it started off hard to talk to him, but Saul gained the confidence to tell the rest of his traumatic story. Confidence is maturing. After the residential school experience and the tragic memories, Saul realizes he needs help to overcome his trauma.  “They scooped out our insides, Saul. We’re not responsible for that. We’re not responsible for what happened to us. None of us are.” Fred said. “But our healing that’s up to us. That’s what saved me. Knowing it was my game” (Wagamese 120). In this quote, Saul talks to Fred. Fred gives him the motivation to get the help he needs. Fred said the healing is a good thing and will save you. Saul comes to a realization that he needs help to move on with life. Therefore, Saul comes to a conclusion and gets the help he needs by talking to people with similar experiences.  

Saul begins his coming of age journey when he is placed in a residential school without any family. Saul found hockey, which helped him overcome his trauma and took away the pain temporarily. He becomes mature by the end of the novel and realizes he needs help to fully heal. In conclusion, the protagonist of the novel “Indian Horse”, Saul, matures throughout the novel.