"Three Day Road" Blog

I think a key scene in the novel "Three Day Road" by Joseph Boyden is…

“Elijah smoothly ejects the old shell casing that flies out with a clink of metal on metal, then he loads a new round. The image of the soldier’s head exploding makes my stomach churn. I retch a little and spit up bile from my empty stomach, my throat burning and the acrid smell of my own insides making me retch a bit more. I look over to Elijah.

Elijah stares through his scope still, smiling to himself.” (Pg.88)

I think this is a key scene in the novel because it’s just one way Boyden shows the contrasts in the novel. Here we see how different Xavier Bird and Elijah Whiskeyjack are. It shows how disgusted Xavier is about killing people and how just thinking about the soldier dying makes him sick which contrasts with how much Elijah enjoys killing people as he was smiling to himself after he shot the soldier.

This scene connects to the rest of the book because it helps point out that there are many differences between Elijah and Xavier. Xavier grew up living with his aunt Niska near the forest by Moose Factory in Northern Ontario. Elijah was an orphan as a child and was raised by nuns in a residential school also near Moose Factory. When Xavier was growing up with his aunt he learned to stay polite and accustomed to his native beliefs. When Elijah went to the residential school it seemed that he didn’t stay connected to his native beliefs. He takes on an English accent and throughout the novel Elijah becomes more and more bloodthirsty and starts counting his kills. He starts to act like a ‘windigo’.

Another contrast is the two settings in the novel, one being the beauty and calm of Northern Ontario versus the chaos and darkness the trenches in France. As Niska paddles she hums, there is sun on their faces and they are being gently rocked by the canoe. This scene is in contrast to the days Xavier recalls that were cold with rain pelting down, shelling all around them and trenches filled with water and mud.

I felt this scene was important in the novel "Three Day Road" because it helps show contrast throughout the story of the troubled times in war. Joseph Boyden does a great job of using small details to make the reader feel like you are experiencing war yourself.

By: Logan Semple