THE CRYPTICAL ERUPTION "You tried to use him against me … and he still doesn't want you hurt. Is that not innocence?"In Soul Catcher, Katsuk and others make some very overt references to the struggle between Native Americans and white people in the past. This is his stated reason for sacrificing David: "I want your world to understand something. That an innocent from your people can die just as other innocents have died." Through his captivity, David, an American boy who knows nothing about Native Americans before he goes to camp, learns more than he wishes about the treatment his ancestors have given Native Americans: "His people had stolen this land. He knew Katsuk was speaking the truth…. He had even sinned as his ancestors had, with a woman of these people." Katsuk also notes other ways in which early Americans mistreated his people, such as giving them blankets infested with smallpox: "You hoquat have used sickness blankets on us before." The knowledge of these offenses against Native Americans weighs him down: "David felt himself hostage for all the sins of his kind." Even Sheriff Pallatt, who heads one of the search parties, acknowledges the bad treatment that Native Americans have received at the hands of whites: "This is what comes of sending an Indian to college. He studies how we've been giving his people the sty end of the stick. Something happens … he reverts to savage."Native-American religion is another key concept in the book. As Katsuk demonstrates, Native-American religion is rooted in respect for nature, which provides the way of life for his people. Throughout the book, Katsuk prays to various spirits, many of which represent natural forces. For example, Raven, named for the birds he commands, serves as a guardian to Katsuk, protecting Katsuk and David from sight when helicopters fly by, as Katsuk proves to David: "The helicopter was high but in plain sight…. An occupant would only have to glance this way to see two figures on the high rock escarpment." However, the helicopter does not see them. Shortly after the helicopter flies away, David sees why, when "a single raven flew over the rock where David lay, then another, another."Katsuk also acknowledges his reliance on other aspects of nature, such as when he prays to Fish, the spirit who controls fish, for forgiveness, when he kills a fish for him and David to eat. The spirits also plague Katsuk, as when he gets sick and attributes it to Cedar sickness, which he believes he has gotten from not praying enough to Cedar. Not all spirits are based in nature. Soul Catcher, the powerful spirit that possesses Katsuk, does not have any specific correspondent in nature. However, when Soul Catcher possesses Katsuk, he does it through the stinger of a bee, another symbol of nature. Even those Native Americans in the story who do not actively practice their religion often remain respectful. When Katsuk walks into the camp of his great uncle, Ish, and his ex-girlfriend, Tskanay, Ish realizes that Katsuk has been possessed and backs down from trying to stop Katsuk: "Don't catch me going up against a real spirit. Soul Catcher's got that one."
Blegh. Finished the last twenty pages in an annoyed sitting, because I'm just cloyingly, cherry tree honest enough that I can't say I've 'read' a book until I know for sure that I've read every bit of it. I smoke my cigarettes to the nubs, too. It was like shredding a dandelion. Everything is just...goofus...in this thing. Cliches and stereotypes up and down the wall, white guilt and mau-mau-back-to-nature- nostalgie de la boue about the Red Injun, some ol' bullshit about finding true nature in the woods, getting away from corrupt and homogenized honky civilization, blahblah, derp derp. The friend at work who recommended it to me is a proud Jamaican, middle aged and Ivy-educated, so at least the nostalgie in question isn't coming from white suburban dudes with holes in their jeans wearing Bob Marley t-shirts with nary a whit of curiosity, let alone understanding, to tell their Toussaints from their Toots Hibberts. I guess the desire to bite into a York Peppermint Patty to get the sensation you're a bare-chested, quiver-totin', sun-markin' wild man of the woods is more endemic to the human condition than I thought. Cuz, I mean, I'm sure plenty of people read this stuff back in the 70's.... Ah, whatever. Who cares? What matters it? It WAS kind of interesting reading something that (one just knows these things) is pretty much total aesthetic crashdive from the first couple of chapters....after all the time I've spent sweating it out over, say, Nietzsche or Milton it's nice to get away for a while and read some utter nonsense, real poofery, for a time. It's almost surprising, like I'd forgotten how to read so easily. I kept flipping pages back and forth, shocked that I didn't have to read anything more than once to get it- not the general gist of it, mind, which is about as much as I can ask from one of the Great Writers I fetishize so much- but to get everything there was to get. Piffle. Jingle-jangle. Boof!
What do You think about Soul Catcher (1987)?
Katsuk is going to kill the poor boy I don't want him to. He takes his victim, boy David from his summer camper early one morning and takes him deep in to the forrest. When Katsuk was young and called Charlie his sister was gang raped by some drunk lumberjacks. She soon after commits suicide. This is the reason Katsuk came to be and seeks his revenge. I want them to become friends and discover the important of the land. This story makes me realize that we (Australia) has done the same to the aboriginals. But the native americans was more interested in making contact with the new weird white people. The end felt rushed especially the last ten pages but that could just be me. A Good question is. Was it worth it all in the end? Did he really seek revenge?
—Emma
along with the white plague this is one frank herbert's best books that is not in the dune series. a native american man's sister is raped by a gang of white men and then commits suicide. he decides to take revenge, by making a sacrifice of a white child. he kid naps an adolescent boy, and brings him on a journey, preparing him to meet his creator. the book is nothing like anything else herbert has written, and proves he was a fantastic writer in any genre. it has great character development. i've read it several times over the years.it doesn't placate at the end
—Allison
Something different from Frank Herbert, who is most famous for "Dune" and its sequels. This one is related to the relationship between a 13 year old rich-kid boy and a very disgruntled Native American, who kidnaps him with the intent of making him a "sacrifice" for all those native Americans who have died at the hands of whites. VERY well written, multi-layered tale of companionship, deep spirituality (or madness, you decide), the Land and our relationship to it, and ultimately a fine yarn that
—Tim
