Three Day Road summary

War's Impact on Identity and Relationships

In Three Day Road by Joseph Boyden, we are introduced to Xavier Bird, a Cree Indian from Canada, who is returning from the World War I battlefields in Europe. The story is narrated by his aunt, Niska, who is taking him back to their home in the wilderness. As they journey, Niska tells Xavier stories from their past, revealing the impact of the war on their identities and relationships.

Before the war, Xavier and his best friend, Elijah, were skilled hunters and marksmen. They were recruited into the army and sent to the front lines, where their hunting skills made them deadly snipers. However, the war changes them. Elijah becomes obsessed with killing, reveling in the power it gives him, while Xavier struggles with the moral implications of taking lives.

The Transformation of Elijah

As the war progresses, Elijah becomes increasingly brutal and detached, earning the nickname 'Whiskeyjack' after a cunning and ruthless bird. He is addicted to morphine, which he uses to numb the pain of his injuries and the horrors he witnesses. Elijah's transformation is a stark commentary on the dehumanizing effects of war, as he loses touch with his cultural roots and becomes a ruthless killer.

On the other hand, Xavier, though also deeply affected by the war, manages to hold on to his humanity. He uses his hunting skills not to kill, but to survive. He becomes a skilled scout, navigating the treacherous landscape of no man's land and bringing back valuable information to his unit. Xavier's struggle to maintain his moral compass in the face of the war's brutality is a central theme of the novel.

Impact of War on Indigenous Peoples

Throughout Three Day Road, Boyden also explores the impact of the war on indigenous peoples. The Cree soldiers, like Xavier and Elijah, are caught in a difficult position. They are fighting for a country that has oppressed and marginalized their people, and they are often treated as second-class citizens by their fellow soldiers. The war further alienates them from their cultural heritage, as they are forced to adapt to a foreign, hostile environment.

As Niska and Xavier journey back to their home, Niska's stories reveal the devastating effects of colonization on their people. She recounts the horrors of residential schools, where indigenous children were forcibly separated from their families and stripped of their culture. The war, in many ways, is an extension of this colonial oppression, as indigenous soldiers are used as pawns in a conflict that is not their own.

Loss and Healing

As the title suggests, the three-day road is a metaphor for the journey of the dead to the afterlife in Cree tradition. Throughout the novel, Xavier is haunted by the spirits of those he has killed, and he struggles to come to terms with the loss and trauma he has experienced. Niska, too, has her own ghosts to contend with, having lost her sister and her way of life to the ravages of colonization.

In the end, Three Day Road is a powerful exploration of the impact of war on individuals and communities. It is a story of loss and healing, of the resilience of the human spirit in the face of unimaginable horrors. Through the characters of Xavier and Niska, Boyden gives voice to the often-overlooked experiences of indigenous peoples in the context of war, shedding light on a dark chapter of Canadian history.