The Secret of Franklin's Success
Franklin is a fictional character, but represents a true success story in his development throughout Medicine Walk and Starlight. With everything he had going against him, how does Wagamese's character parallel the author's own path from troubled childhood to respected artist?
You have studied three of his stories now, including the film version of Indian Horse (this story focussed on the residential school system - the author's parents were victims), so you are almost experts.
Wagamese's biography is available at https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/richard-wagamese for you to review if needed.
Respond to this post with a well organized and polished comment including evidence from Starlight and any other sources you feel are relevant and will generate discussion. Be sure to give credit to your sources. Reply to a minimum of TWO of your classmates' comments as well.
Franklin is a distinctive character, yes, but does resemble Richard Wagamese Richard had a hard childhood like Franklin also had a hard childhood like no father, surviving by in the city and franklin in the wild. In the end Franklin both become artist\ Writer but how?
ReplyDeleteRichard started to find peace after getting out of jail and working countless jobs, like Franklin he overcame the troubled childhood that affected him but did not control him and started overcoming his trouble by being an artist. Franklin became an artist Because he always enjoyed the wild and the freedom like an animal but taking picture in nature brought more joy to him and made him felt he was out of the modern world and free from all the troubles like having no father or never getting the childhood any child should get.
Has Franklin gets older he started taking picture of animals which spark the artist inside of him and it came over all the terrible things he went through, that’s how Richard Wagamese introduce Franklin has an artist. When franklin starts to go to the city and persuade his art career. His art made him believe that he can have art career even though Franklin is unsure of himself most of the time.
Good start!
Delete@Lucas-- I agree with you that Franklin and Richard Wagamese both having a hard and troubling childhood, and that both of them were helped by nature and art. Franklin didn’t only become an artist because he always enjoyed the nature and being in the wild, in the book Franklin it also says he became an artist because he grew uncomfortable with shooting animals “Don't really know. I just know that I grew uncomfortable with shooting animals with a gun except for food and maybe they got my change of energy”. In your comment you suggested that Franklin got over all the troubling events from the past, but in starlight when Roth and Franklin are talking before Emma and Winnie arrive, Franklin tells Roth that he felt sad and that the house and his life felt empty after the old man died. Franklin also still shows signs that he hasn’t completely gotten over the past. An example of Franklin not totally over the past just because of art is when Deacon tells Franklin that he should go to Vancouver, Franklin is still hurt from the last time he traveled a long distance, which was when Eldon asked him to bury him on top of a ridge in the warrior way. Thats the reason why Franklin didn’t go to Vancouver until he met Emma and Winnie and having someone to relate too. Even though art made a big impact on his life it's still not enough to make him forget about the past, Franklin will always be impacted by his past.
Delete@Nic I agree that Franklin won't ever forget his past, for major and troubling events transpired such as bringing his dying father (Eldon) to the top of a mountain to bury him. However, like you said Franklin now has a very special person to relate his early start to, that person is Emma. With Emma now being in Starlight's life and them falling in love with each other it gives Starlight the perfect chance to come to peace with his past, and have his farm feel full. As Starlight said he felt lonely without the old man so maybe Emma and Winnie can be his escape from it all.
Delete@dylan i agree that Emma now being in Starlight's life and them falling in love with each other it gives Starlight the perfect chance to come to peace with his past but it also reflects the relationship that Eldon and Franklins mother had giving Eldon something to focus on other than alcohol. Like Emmy has Franklin to focus on other than Cadotte and Anderson and the guilt she carry's about her and her daughters situation.
DeleteFranklin is a distinctive character, yes, but does resemble Richard Wagamese Richard had a hard childhood like Franklin also had a hard childhood like no father, surviving by in the city and franklin in the wild. In the end Franklin both become artist\ Writer but how?
DeleteRichard started to find peace after getting out of jail and working countless jobs, like Franklin he overcame the troubled childhood that affected him but did not control him and started overcoming his trouble by being an artist. Franklin became an artist Because he always enjoyed the wild and the freedom like an animal but taking picture in nature brought more joy to him and made him felt he was out of the modern world and free from all the troubles like having no father or never getting the childhood any child should get.
Has Franklin gets older he started taking picture of animals which spark the artist inside of him and it came over all the terrible things he went through, that’s how Richard Wagamese introduce Franklin has an artist. When Franklin starts to go to the city and persuade his art career. His art made him believe that he can have art career even though Franklin is unsure of himself he said "You always said my soul is in them picture. if that's true, then they don't really need me is what i figure besides, me and cities ain't no workin' fit" Franklin being unsure of him because he never lied the modern but the artist in him persuade him to go to the city which means that Franklin is made to be a Artist .
https://www.cbc.ca/books/richard-wagamese-1.4769869 This cite would help to understand Wagamese books and life. There is couple of interview were he would explain his books.
With everything he had going against him, how does Wagamese’s character parallel the authors own path from troubled childhood to respected artist?
ReplyDeleteIn both the books Medicine Walk and Starlight, there's characters that share the same troubled childhood experience as Wagamese. The interesting part is that Wagamese seems to have spread his experiences not only with Franklin but with other characters.
The first character that resembles Wagamese more than the rest is Franklin, because him and Wagamese share a troubled childhood with their nonexistent relationship with their biological family, both also only learn more about their cultures when their older. Franklin and Wagamese both drop out of high school at sixteen, and both share their love and connection to nature. Eldon also connects with a troubled childhood, Wagamese was affected by abuse and had to ran away from his toxic lifestyle, Wagamese moved around finding many different types of jobs, never really staying in one place for too long. Eldon was also in a toxic lifestyle, seeing her mother get abused and thrown around, Eldon had to run away and was also working everywhere having many different jobs. Another character that was abused and had to run away is Emma, she got abused by Cadotte and Anderson, then had to run away with her daughter trying to get as far away as possible. Emma needed to find a job to get money so her and her daughter could get back on their feet.
Many characters share a connection with Wagamese, making the book and each character unique but also connected together. Franklin in Starlight when bringing in Emma and Winnie, is described by Wagamese as how he wished his life and situation had gone.
all of your points are very well made with comparing Franklins childhood compared to Wagamese and how they both dealt with such terrible childhoods and how they had both terrible experiences with there father. now all of the characters have to run away from the abuse they dealt with just like Wagamese
DeleteYour comment as very well written, I agree with your points. I think authors tend to depict characters in their own self image. I didn't think of the fact that they both dropped out of high school, this was probably to show that talent and success isn't always about education. Both Franklin and Wagamese were well educated in their passions which i think was an interesting parallels.
DeleteI agree nick I like your point about Emmy i never really thought it that way and i like how you showed to point of view for Frank and Emmy. Your point Emmy does show that wagamese wanted to make Franklin mix together because both of them been trough bads parents and never having the life they deserve.
Delete“Author Jules Lewis” https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/richard-wagamese, accessed January 24, 2021.
DeleteFranklin and Wagamese are very much alike and shows himself through franklin and how they are both understanding how it feels to lose a father figure because both franklin and Wagamese have lost their fathers and know a lot about lose but they also know a lot about life and how to take care of themselves. both Franklin and Wagamese took a way on art, franklin took photography and Wagamese took book writing but both are a way of them expressing themselves for who they are and almost as a therapeutic way to help them. starlight is definitely a reflection of Wagamese because they both have the same experiences and that they have so many similarities such as being born in the same year and lost of their father. I think that Wagamese wrote these books as a way to share his story without making it all about himself. with stuff like relationships we can compare franklins relationship with his dad to Wagamese to his dad because both fathers have been through a great deal of pain like franklins dad going to war and Wagamese dad going to a residential school both fathers had problems because of the stuff they dealt with growing up.
ReplyDelete@ nic
DeleteI fully agree, I commented a couple things explaining how Richard’s books are a reflection of himself. There is much evidence that proves he must have been thinking of his problems and really let his heart out into his book. In Medicine walk, Eldon mentions something about how it’s very tough for him to tell people his dark past. Richard may have been directly relating to that so after years of keeping it in just like Eldon, he finally let it out into the books.
Delete@Kieran I agree that Wagamese kind of used Medicine walk and Starlight as a sort of journal of events that connected his life with Franklin's. I think there is a connection between Eldon's relationship with Franklin's mother to Wagamese's relationship with his books. For example in medicine walk, Eldon talks about how he substituted alcohol for Franklin's mother and how the book implied that Franklins mother told Eldon to talk about his problems and how it would help him heal its as if by Wagamese writing these books it is helping him heal.
Delete@Constantin
DeleteI agree that Wagamese used his books as a journal on all the events that happened throughout his life. I also think that Richard used his books "Medicine Walk" and "Starlight" to rant/get all of his negative thoughts off his mind. As Morgan said in his post Richard Wagamese used writing as a therapy to all the stress and pain of his past. I also think this novel and be a sign of forgiveness towards his parents for all the abuse, for abandoning him etc... I think this because he explains all of his past through his books, but there is always a happy or good ending. This may mean that Richard forgave and overcame his dark, harsh past and is now living a happy life.
I think Richard Wagamese and his character, Franklin Starlight are very much alike. Richard Wagamese most likely wrote his books about his problems just put into another form. Both Richard and Franklin lost their parents at a young age. This is a problem of Richard Wagamese’s and so he felt he should add it to his story. After many years of trouble and despair, both artists pulled through and came to a happy ending. Wagamese ended up as a published author and Franklin became a respected photographer. The fact that Richard Wagamese made his character have the same birth year really makes the readers suspect that Richard most likely based Franklin on himself. It just adds on to the many similarities Franklin and Richard have. For example, both became artists, both lost their parents, both were native AND were of the same indigenous tribe (Ojibway). Some readers may also look at Franklin as Richard‘s new and improved good side and Eldon as Richard’s old dark past. He may have wanted to slip in the idea that his dark past has died and he is a new person just like Franklin.
ReplyDeleteI agree with your points Kieran, I also agree that the author had a purpose when creating franklin into this character. I read in his biography that he did not have the best relationship with his children, which I think was shown in franklins character as well. He also drew similarities with his relationship to Yvette Lehmann and Emmy, especially the interracial aspect of it.
DeleteI don't think it's a coincidence that the author and Franklin share the same year of birth. Richard Wagamese may have similarities to his character Franklin, but the differences are stronger. Richard Wagamese after his parents abandoned him, had no one. While Franklin was abandoned like him, he had someone there for him; the old man. Franklin represents everything that the author wanted. Franklin had a support system that was capable of handling what happened to him. He was a survivor of what happened to him, and I think it made him even stronger. Part of Franklin's journey is that he broke the cycle that was passed on to him, neglect Eldon gave him that he did not break him as a good man. He remained a good man, he remained a worker who never succumbed to the illness of his father. He turned out to be a good father figure for Winnie, who can be seen at the end of Starlight where it is implied to be Winnie taught to follow wolves.
ReplyDeleteI think Franklin was the life Richard Wagamese wanted when he was struggling. Franklin represents the good in people, the purity of the soul. Wagamese is someone who has lived the worst parts of his life and has been able to tell the story of Franklin. Franklin was someone who did well, I think if we were to make comparisons with a character Eldon is the most like him. I think there was a reason for Franklin to forgive Eldon at the end of the first book, Medicine Walk. It was symbolic of Richard Wagamese's perfect idealization by forgiving the real him with all his flaws.
The past makes us what we are, the hardships and the tribulations make us who we are. Richard Wagemese is not only a accomplished writer, he is someone who saw the darkness and was able to let others find comfort in these stories and characters. Emmy, Eldon and the The old man; all the stories of people like him, of people struggling to find a way in this world.
sources
Delete“Author Pens an Explanation.” Ammsa.Com, ammsa.com/publications/windspeaker/author-pens-explanation. Accessed 21 Jan. 2021.Wagamese, Richard. Medicine Walk. McClelland & Stewart, 2014.---. Starlight. McClelland & Stewart, 2021.
I strongly agree with that comment. As I said on a comment to another student, I think Eldon was based off of Richard Wagamese‘s dark past. Just like Richard Wagamese, Eldon wasn‘t there for his kid and had a tough time dealing with his thoughts. Franklin however, is Richard‘s new good side. Franklin is everything Richard wanted and became. Richard had a whole character to share his story about. Franklin was purely a message giver for Richard to tell his story about his past.
Delete@Charlotte
DeleteI agree that both Franklin and Wagamese are connected a lot deeper than any of us can understand making it no coincidence they share the same year of birth. The reason they understand each other is that they both went through a very difficult childhood and life, filled with pain, physically and mentally. Even though Wagamese created and is Franklin is his own person, Franklin doesn’t only reflect the life struggles Wagamese suffered through. Franklin is made from both the real events Wagamese experienced, and the thoughts, wish's, and internal feelings that he had. This is shown from the mixture of in Medicine walk when Franklin has his journey with his father, the book hints and explains the life Wagamese went through. Starlight shows the other part about the thoughts Wagamese had and wish's he dreamed about, because when Franklin helps Emma, Wagamese is illustrating what he wished happened to him and how Franklin switched his life around, from being the person running and struggling, to the person helping his past self. You said in you comment that Franklin shows success with breaking the cycle passed down from Eldon, but it's continuing a different chain. When the old man helped Eldon taking in Franklin, he was helping Eldon with his struggles hoping that he’d get better, then when Franklin took in Emma and Winnie, he kept that new chain continue and grow, because now Franklin and Emma are two examples that Winnie can relate to about a rough childhood. So, when Winnie grows up, she has had that first had experience of seeing the struggle in her mom and hearing Franklins struggles and past, but now Winnie is the first person to also see the development and healing part out of that life.
@Kieran
DeleteI fully agree with your reply to Charlotte's comment, i strongly believe that the character of Eldon was based on the dark past of Richard Wagamese. Since we are talking about characters and how they are based on Richards life, I would like to talk about Franklin. I think that the character of Franklin is based on Richards childhood. I think Franklin's character is bases on what Richard wishes he had at that young age.
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ReplyDeleteaccidently made it a comment not a reply, sorry
DeleteFranklin and Richard Wagamese are very similar. They both were taught at a young age very primitive ways and were both abandoned a young age for alcohol. Richard Wagamese was 16 when he dropped out of school Franklin also dropped out of school In Richard Wagamese’s biography it talks about how from Wagamese’s childhood to his early adulthood he spent a lot of his time in library’s learning about literature and what makes a good story Franklin on the other hand spent most of his time in the nature learning how to hunt, track and survive whats similar to Richard Wagamese in the library and Franklin in the nature is that both these things would inevitability lead to both Franklin and Wagamese’s passion/art I believe that Franklin was written into medicine walk and starlight because he is somewhat a reflection of Wagamese’s struggle.
ReplyDeleteI definitely think that Franklin and Richard Wagamese are very similar if not almost identical. I think this because in the first novel medicine walk, we find out that Franklin has struggles as a child due to his identity, dropped out of school, not many friends and much more. Richard Wagamese shared all these same characteristics as did Franklin. There are however some differences between the 2. When Richard wagamese was a child he was abandoned, he had no one at all whereas franklin had someone to talk to. I think this is no coincidence, I think the author wrote it this way in a sense wishing that had been him when he was younger. And in my opinion, the cherry on top for it all is how in the end, both Frank and Richard are living good lives, have people they can talk to and are very happy.
ReplyDeleteJeremy i agree but i wouldn't say identical. I think wagamese had a tougher childhood like going to prison or fighting ahool and drug abuse. Franklin yes he had a hard life but he still got to live on a farm with a man that was his father figure and he didn't have to go trough drug abuse and Achool abuse and he could of left his dad behind anytime has of Wagamese couldn't run away to a farm with food and a roof on top of his head
DeleteJeremy I agree with you on them being similar but Lucas is also right in the fact that they are not identical as yes they both had tough childhoods with no father and being poor and loving being in nature but they also didn't end up in the same place as on of them became a writer and the other a photographer. but for me Franklin is a sort of reflection of Richard to help portray and give light to his and other indigenous struggles.
DeleteI think Richard Wagamese is telling his exact life story through his books not just including “Medicine Walk”, “Starlight” but, all the ones previous to these books as well, such as “Indian Horse”. I believe every character Wagamese creates represents a different aspect of his life and his life choices. Franklin the main character in “Medicine Walk” and “Starlight” would be the biggest representative of Richard Wagamese’s life story for Franklin is basically the embodiment of Richard Wagamese’s issues as his younger self. With his abandonment issues, being left fatherless at a young age and having difficulty growing up, Richards goals were to explain his life's struggles so others could relate. My take on Wagamese’s characters is that they’re a split of his lifetime. “Medicine Walk” shows some points on how he grew up and the type relationship he had with his father. “Indian Horse” show the reality of his parents' tragedy. “Starlight” shows the saving grace of a women and the connection to children, like he found late in his life. Throughout these stories there is one thing that stays clear, and that’s the connection between the plots and Wagamese’s real life experiences. Most issues in the books reflect the issues that Richard Wagamese had as an adolescent or grown up. Mainly what I'm saying is every one of his characters represents a different reality of his life.
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you Dylan. I like how you pointed out how every main character shows a little bit of his life before becoming a writer. I never thought of this way that he puts a different reality of his life into different character every book, very nice comment.
DeleteDylan this is everything I think Richard tried to do with his novels, with offering a sort of reflection or autobiography on his life but in more of a story to help spread it out to a larger audience and help bring attention about what indigenous people had to go trough as children.
DeleteIn the novels “Medicine walk” and “Starlight by Richard Wagamese, Franklin is for sure a reflection of Richard and his life. Yes, Richard and Franklin are similar in many ways, but they also have their differences. it was a choice by Richard to use himself with a little added fictional element to create an in-depth story. These novels were written awareness about the troubles and hardships about living life as an indigenous child.
ReplyDeleteRichard And Franklin are similar in the ways that they both struggled as a child having no father and being poor just scraping by in the city and spending a lot of time in the wild. They both also ended become artists with Richard being a writer and Franklin being a photographer. They also both dropped out of school at a younger age and were abandoned for alcohol. I also believe that in his novels “Medicine walk”, “starlight” and his other novels like “Embers” and “Indian Horse” represent different parts and aspects of Richard’s life.
In conclusion, in my mind Richard writes these novels not only to portray certain aspects about what he went through and his life but he also does it to portray the life of so many indigenous children and what they have to go through on the daily which is part of why these novels have done so well because they give a real and raw look into what indigenous children have to go through which I think is vital in starting the conversation and healing from out past.