Lecture 7.4.3 - Chapter 25: Saul with the Kelly Family in redneck Manitouwadge
Lecture Overview
In this lecture, we are going to review Chapter 24 before starting Chapter 25.
Review
Chapter 24: Leboutilier seems to take a special interest in Saul, recognizing that Saul is a talented hockey player who’d benefit from extra instruction. Fred Kelly is a hockey coach, and seems to understand, as Saul has already learned, that the world of hockey is a microcosm of racial tension. White hockey teams dislike playing against (and especially losing to) Indigenous Canadian teams. As a result, Kelly’s team of Indigenous Canadians only competes against other Indigenous Canadian teams. For the last time, Leboutilier stands up for Saul, defending Fred Kelly’s offer when the other teachers dismiss it immediately. Leboutilier is unique among the faculty members insofar as he seems to embody the virtues of his Christian faith: he really believes, for example, that he has a duty to educate Saul and enrich his talents because they’re God-given.
Saul’s decision to live with Fred Kelly marks his coming-of-age. By making an independent, autonomous decision in favor of a better life, he assert his maturity and takes control over the direction of his own life, though he does so with some hesitation.