Crow Mary

Analyze Crow Mary’s cultural environment as a child. In what ways does colonization affect her family, and how do Crow values define her upbringing and identity as a young woman?

Crow Mary grows up connected to the women in her tribe, but Red Fox is central to her character formation. Analyze his role throughout the story and his significance concerning cultural survival. What does the character indicate about the meaning of tradition and identity?

Analyze the impact of gender roles on Crow Mary’s story. What expectations does she face as a woman while living with the Crow tribe, and how does her role change after her marriage to Farwell? What does this shift reveal about the Western versus Indigenous perspective on gender? What are the differences and similarities between the two worldviews?

Describe the development of Crow Mary and Farwell’s relationship. Is their life together characterized by cultural conflict or understanding? What are the factors that contribute to the demise of their marriage?

Analyze Farwell’s character and the motif of the wolfers from the perspective of masculinity. What are the key traits of the white men as settlers? How does Farwell differ from the wolfers, and what do you think are the reasons for his demise?

Consider Jeannie’s character from a postcolonial perspective. What does Grissom achieve with her character, and what does Jeannie demonstrate about racial and cultural identity?

The novel’s setting is key to the story's development, as descriptions of nature permeate the narrative. Analyze the Indigenous versus white perspectives of the natural world. How does nature contribute to the cultural conflict presented in the text?

The Cypress Hills Massacre is the key historical event that Grissom explores in the novel. What does Grissom aim to achieve in fictionalizing this event, and how does she counter the trope of perpetual Indigenous suffering?