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Parker Harding - Copy of N
Parker Harding - Copy of N
Parker Harding
Story
“The Save” by Joseph Bruchac, follows
the story of an Iroquois boy named
Oren. After making an impressive save
in a game of lacrosse by mistake, he
believes that he was not skilled and
simply made the play because of luck.
When expressing these feelings to his
grandfather, he makes another quick
save when a nearby ATV sends
shrapnel flying towards him, revealing Image courtesy of Dan Gold
Throughout the story Oren struggles In this story, lacrosse represents how
with self doubt and a lack of Oren feels about Native culture
confidence. He believes that his because it is a Native American sport.
success was due to luck, not skill. His The struggle against a team of
self doubt may be symbolic of non-natives symbolizes the
society’s views of oppression that Indigenous people
have been facing for centuries.
Significant Symbolism
Lacrosse
● Lacrosse is a sport evolved from Native games,
so it has a direct connection to Indigenous culture.
It is symbolic of their society so Oren’s desire to
win the game represents his connection to his
culture and how he feels a responsibility to be
good at it in order to honor his heritage.
Self-doubt
● The self doubt that Oren feels about his lacrosse
skills is symbolic of uncertainty and insecurity he
feels about his culture among white society. The origins of lacrosse. Image courtesy of
Burd Woodworks Lacrosse
Final Thoughts
Throughout the story, Oren exhibits self doubt and a lack of confidence in his
lacrosse skills, which may be symbolic of any uncertainty or pressure he feels
about his culture, as lacrosse evolved from Indigenous games. He feels a
pressure to be good at the sport in order to feel connected to his culture. At the
end of the story, he gains confidence after making another impressive save like
the one earlier in the story that led him to doubt himself in the first place. His
journey of self-discovery shows his pride in his culture, even in a country where
his people have underrepresented and oppressed over the centuries.
Works Cited
Bruchac, Joseph. “The Save.” CommonLit, 2019, www.commonlit.org/en/texts/the-save.
Native Hope. “The History and Culture of the Iroquois.” Native Hope, 13 Nov. 2022,
blog.nativehope.org/the-history-and-culture-of-the-iroquois.
Images:
Aveni, Anthony. “The Indian Origins of Lacrosse.” The Colonial Williamsburg Official History &
Citizenship Site, research.colonialwilliamsburg.org/Foundation/journal/winter10/lacrosse.cfm
Burd Woodworks Lacrosse. “Traditional Lacrosse Sticks - Burd LAX.” Burd LAX, 13 Oct. 2023,
www.burdwoodworkslacrosse.com/traditional-sticks.
Cetkauskas, Augustas. “Abstract View of a Lacrosse Stick Scooping up a Ball.” Adobe Stock,
stock.adobe.com/search?k=lacrosse+background&asset_id=271156611.