“the trickster” a close reading · 2018. 9. 27. · the coyote as a symbol in “the...

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“The Trickster”A Close Reading

“I am Coyote” (Pearce 10).

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Characterization1

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“The last thing he wanted to do was draw attention to himself” (5).

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How is Josh being characterized?

■ Shy■ Doesn’t like attention■ Nervous

““His mom had needed the coyote skull

and pelt for a project she was doing with her Grade 6 class. She’d persuaded Josh to

go for her” (Pearce 6).

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■ His mom is teacher■ He’s a good son■ Helpful

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“Adaptable, he thought. That’s me” (Pearce 7).

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■ He thinks he’s adaptable■ Adaptable means able to change to fit your

environment■ He compares himself to a coyote

““He dropped the coat and sprang into Kung Fu readiness. OK, so that’s where

the replay deviated a bit from what actually happened that night. In actual fact, he’d dropped the jacket and run”

(Pearce 8).

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■ Josh keeps changing what actually happened to fit what he wants to have happened

““He still felt unnerved, off balance. He

couldn’t even go out of the house without looking over his shoulder. He felt

uncomfortable around people in a way he hadn’t before” (Pearce 8).

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■ Josh has lost trust in humans since the mugging■ He is no longer innocent■ He’s realizing the world is a rough place

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“He’d done what he needed to do to survive – like the coyote” (Pearce 8).

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■ Compares himself to a coyote again■ Importance:■ Coyote’s are adaptable and tough BUT also looked

down upon by humans

““It almost gave him a feeling of power to know that he’d watched a part of their lives—perhaps even knew something

about them—and they hadn’t even seen him” (Pearce 9).

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■ Knowledge = power■ Josh feels more in control now that he knows

more about his opponents

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“Josh felt like a cornered animal” (Pearce 10).

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■ More comparisons to a coyote■ But he draws strength from this:■ “Anger flared in his gut, then was gone. He

realized he no longer felt afraid” (Pearce 10).

“

“I am Coyote” (Pearce 10).

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■ Josh uses the power of the coyote to enforce his will on the four guys

■ He knows things about them that humanize the guys (which weakens them)

SO WHAT?Maybe, Josh’s growth in the story argues that we should embrace our “inner coyote,” be willing to adapt to tough situations, and use all of our knowledge and skill to survive.

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Flashback2

““Josh thought back to the meeting at the

university” (Pearce 6).

“Even when he managed to put getting mugged the other night out of his mind, it

still came back to stalk him” (Pearce 7).

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How is flashback used in this story?

■ Josh recalls much of this story while riding the bus home from the university.

■ This literary device is used to set the scene for the central conflict of the story AND

■ Josh’s flashbacks allow him to change his past in his mind

■ This stops him from acting in the present

SO WHAT?Maybe, it isn’t until Josh is forced to live in the present that he is able to face his fears and deal with the bullies.

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Stereotype3

““He had a dark, narrow face and wore a blue bandana tied around the top of his

head” (Pearce 7)

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How is stereotype used in this story?

■ Josh sees the four guys as tough and dangerous because they fit the stereotype of “gangsters”

““The fourth guy tried to kiss the girl, but she didn’t seem to want to kiss him back. He hesitated, then shrugged and turned to

join the others” (Pearce 9).

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How is stereotype used in this story?

■ The fourth guy’s hesitation humanizes him■ Breaks the stereotype of the “tough gangster”■ Josh realizes that people are not always what they

seem

SO WHAT?Josh learns that everyone is human. Everyone has problems. This gives him the courage to stand up to the more human, and therefore relatable, tough guys.

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The Coyote3

““People seem to prefer them dead to

alive” (Pearce 6).

“I guess they have a bit of a PR problem” (Pearce 6).

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The Coyote as a symbol in “The Trickster”

■ Coyotes are seen as dangerous and harmful to the city

■ The university worker says they help keep the rat population down

■ Coyotes seem to be misunderstood

““Coyotes are one of the few wild animals that have expanded their numbers and

territory—despite people trying to get rid of them. It’s because they’re so good at

adapting to things” (Pearce 7).

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The Coyote as a symbol in “The Trickster”

■ Josh compares himself to the coyote often■ He is also adaptable■ He adapts to being bullied and finds a solution

by literally becoming a “coyote”■ “I am Coyote” (Pearce 10).

SO WHAT?Josh adapts to his situation, just like the coyotes. Maybe, adaptability is a part of growing up. Learning to deal with tough situations by learning more about them is a way of dealing with them.

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A Quick Recap

CharacterizationFlashbackStereotypeSymbolism

All are present in this story

All help us understand the “so what”?

“the trickster” a close reading · 2018. 9. 27. · the coyote as a symbol in “the...

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