Sophia Chernysheva 11/14/24 EFP 10 Mrs. Graham
Drew Hayden Taylor is a renowned author from the Curve Lake Nations in Central Ontario
The stars in real life act as a guide, helping lost people find their way. In the story, the stars act as an emotional guide to the boys, helping them find solace and a sense of calm.
The theme is of connection. All three of the young men connect to the sky in their own way, finding solace within the stars. They’re all in completely different situations but despite their differences, the boys all wonder if somewhere out there, someone like them is watching the sky too. This binds them all together.
• Nimki is worried about his uncle leaving. His father barely spends time with him, so his uncle was the one keeping him company. This is leaving him in distress upon the impending loneliness. • Walter doesn’t like being at home. He longs for normality and feels neglected due to his alcoholic parents always being busy fighting and yelling at him instead of caring for the boy. • Eric is isolated on Kepler-186f. His mother died due to birth complications, and his father works long hours to develop the planet. This leaves Eric lonely and wishing he had company.
• Nimki is out on a hunt with his father and uncle, but unfortunately there is no game to be caught. This lack of food is weakening their village, and frustrating the trio. His uncle leaving the village soon adds tension to the hunt. • Walter lives in an uncaring environment, with alcoholic parents who are busy drinking and fighting instead of paying attention to their son. • Kepler-186f is an isolated, artificial environment that leaves no room for Eric to live normally. He has no mother, no friends, and none of the earthly things he so longs for.
The forest Lush, green, empty woods. Despite the abundance of greenery, there are no animals to be found. A reserve An average, modern First Nations reserve. Equipped with a school, and a big pile of dirt Walter likes to lay in. Kepler-186f A far-away, dully-colored planet deep in space. It is in the process of being colonized by humans.
• Nimki is in a stressful situation. His uncle, the man who he’s felt more closer to than anyone, is leaving the village. This will leave him not only lonely, but also with no one to look up to due to his father being busy with his own problems. • Walter is torn. The boy is frustrated because it seems like his parents don’t care for him. In every other family, there are loving parents who want the best for you. In his, there’s two alcoholics that couldn’t care less. • Eric is constantly searching to feel connected to his roots. He feels like the life he leads on Kepler-186f isn’t the one he should have. He longs for Earth and he fuels this longing by researching the planet and all of it’s amenities, to try and satisfy his need better.
• Nimki holds the legends of his ancestors dear, and likes thinking about the possibilities of life in the stars. “On occasion, he would also wonder, could his grandfather or those other hunters way up there see his campfire? Did they wonder about him and his little fire?” • Walter is trying his best to stay positive, while also acknowledging that the situation he’s in isn’t the best. “Not much of a kingdom. Still, he tried to tell himself, it was better than some had.” • Eric is good with technology, and likes using the skill to take time to himself. “For about seven months now, since he had learned and decoded the programming behind the Cosmicon, he’d been able to shut out the outside world and manoeuvre himself through the far reaches of space.”
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