Three Day Road: Character Development

1919 words 8 pages
The two main characters in the novel “Three Day Road” by Joseph Boyden; Xavier Bird and Elijah Weesageechack, have many key differences that are illustrated throughout the novel. Xavier is reserved and visceral, while Elijah is self-assured and talkative. Xavier was raised by his Aunt Niska for the Majority of his childhood, opposed to how Elijah was raised in Moose Factory by nuns at a residential school. These factors hold an important responsibility on their personalities and the way that they think and make decisions. The three key differences between them that are paramount to the story and the themes of the novel are; firstly their respect for their Oji-Cree culture, secondly their respect and love for human life, and lastly their …show more content…

The following quote accentuates this fact, “He opens his eyes and looks up at Elijah. Elijah raises the wood in both hands and swings it down hard as he can onto Grey Eyes’ forehead” (Page 340). This exemplar distinctly shows the variance in Elijah’s connection with his comrades in comparison to Xavier relationship with his comrades. Xavier doesn’t have the ability to speak as well as Elijah, but he has a much stronger emotional connection with the people he fights with. When looking at Elijah, it undisguised that he doesn’t have a strong emotional connection with any of his comrades and if there is connection at all it is strictly to use them. Elijah’s closest friend in the war other than Xavier was Grey Eyes and he was willing to kill him so he could get away with the crimes he had committed. In conclusion, Xavier puts his comrades and the people he is fighting against in high regard and has a serious respect for them, while Elijah just wants to eliminate every problem that confronts him; he doesn’t care how he does it.

The third and final example between the two characters that has a major effect on the story and the key themes of the novel are their personalities. As stated in the opening paragraph, Xavier is reserved and visceral, while Elijah is self-assured and talkative. Xavier was raised by his Aunt Niska for the Majority of his childhood, opposed to how Elijah was raised in Moose Factory by nuns at a

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