Short Story Project- The

Save
By maia mn
 The story
Main Character:
Major plot points Oren Setting

-Oren is playing for a -Oren who is the goalie of his

lacrosse team and he lacrosse team. Oren lives with -Onondaga reservation: Oren
makes an amazing his grandfather in onondaga, lives on the “Rez”
save, which shocked a place that invented -the firekeepers restaurant,
himself lacrosse, adding to orens popular on the Rez
-eating lunch with his passion for it. -lacrosse field where Oren
grandfather and Oren has his lacrosse game, also
is able to save his the location where the story
grandfather before he begins
is hit with a piece of
metal: a second great
save by Oren
Theme through the story
Theme: In The Save, Joseph Bruchac reveals how legacies formed in native
communities instill a sense of pressure especially in ones abilities, a self doubt
conflict that Oren faces.

Theme development:
-becomes deeper as we see that although Oren’s team is winning, he's constantly
focusing on the native american legacy he has to uphold, be the greatest at his “own”
game.
-the final save that Oren makes fully develops the theme, as we understand how his
lack of confidence isn't from no abilities ( he saved his grandfather) but from legacies
in native communities.
 Cultural background & author background
Occupations,
Where the culture Authors cultural
general author
lived values
● Bruchac ties his info
abenaki ancestry into ●
● the iroquois include tribes many of his writings ● Has many english
speaking iroquoina ● focuses to preserve & writing degrees
language and educate about from respectable
● prior to colonization these native culture colleges
groups of people were ● Bruchac’s grandfather ● Bruchac has been
agriculturists was abenaki and his writing native
● tribe oren is part of, heritage was slightly american related
onondaga, originates from denied by his family work for 30+
northern new york, ● He was inspired by years
● Onondaga culture is other native american ● “integrates
nature based authors to portray his science and
people in writing folklore”
 Essential questions
How does the concept of identity, including individual, communal, and cultural
identity, manifest in Native American literature? How do Native American
authors navigate the complexities of cultural identity in their works?

-The concept of identity manifests in native american literature, when conflicts that their
culture have faced shape their actions. The hardships native people faced and traditions that
came from hardships, create their identities in today's literature,
-Native American authors weave complex cultural identifying into their writing through easily
understandable stories including symbols to convey deep
-Specific to this literature, the community and people involved in Orens life, represent a part of
the legacy his ancestors left
-The concepts of identity that are present in The Save, exhibit themes of general of issues
people face with self validation with exterior pressures.
 Essential questions
What is the role of historical trauma and the legacy of colonization in shaping the
themes and perspectives presented in contemporary Native American literature?

-the impact of these historical pieces is to deepen the meaning behind basic
emotions and examine the actual affect native horrors had on those
-the pressure Oren faces during his “own” game, stems from pressure Native
communities still feel from historical traumatic events
-as Native Americans invented lacrosse, it was stolen from them during
colonization, therefore Oren must feel pressured to play proadly for his ancestors.
-elements of his reservation are described later in the story, included to further
the theme relating Oren’s self doubt to any native american legacies/trauma
-native americans struggle with assimilation & being stripped of their cultures, so
oren might feel ashamed that he can't be the best at the one thing of his peoples
(lacrosse) that was accepted by society.
 Oren
impact
-indirect
indirect characterization characterization indirect characterization
shows orens “He wasn’t sure why, maybe just that
“Iroquois. We’re Iroquois. And it was hard for him to sit and listen to
personality and traits
everybody on our team is head and his
through actions or
shoulders above these guys. grandfather’s words trying to
responses he made
Except me”(Bruchac 2) convince him he wasn’t the loser he
-both examples of
characterization tap knew himself to be”(Bruchac 8)
⭑even though Oren realized how good
into how Oren felt too
his team is he doesnt think he is good ⭑shows his response to validation
much pressure to be
enough to be helpful from his grandfather
able to accept his
talent
 Conflict
Man vs self Man vs society
-struggles feeling self doubt: -feels everyone was
oren is always telling himself These conflicts better than him
that he is a bum and his goalie contribute to the -thinking he was just
skills are nothing more than theme of the wanted on the team for
luck pressure that oren just luck
-he felt like his gift was a lie to feels being very
the coach powerful

Man vs man Impact on theme

-his grandfather tries to reassure Oren All of the conflict present in The Save
but he doesn't want to hear his builds up to the idea that oren feels so
grandfather praises because he is so much pressure from more than just
overwhelmed with the native game day competitiveness
expectations
 Significant symbolism
symbols in text & their meaning
The Buffalo:
-native and cultural symbol
-very spiritually powerful creatures
-ery honored by native americans,
so became very symbolic.
Lacrosse:
-example/symbol of history &
traditions
-inclusion of a game of lacrosse in
The Save exemplifies a native
tradition and its part in society
contribution
● Contributes to the understanding of the text by
showing important meanings or practices
Native Americans have
● Allows for fuller development of the story and
theme (that native legacies affect one's
mindset)
● Leaves the reader with message deeper than
just the conflicts, with a grasp on native
american struggles
● The buffalo symbol strengthens the theme of
native american elements being so present in
orens life and mind, further pressuring him
● Lacrosse can symbolizes legacy and how far
native american actions have carried on, that's
why there's so much pressure on oren.
Workes cited

Bruchac, Joseph, and James Bruchac. “Joseph Bruchac.” Reading Rockets,

www.readingrockets.org/people-and-organizations/joseph-bruchac#:~:text=Well%2C%20I’m%20a%20pe
rson,talk%20about%20being%20Native%20American. Accessed 12 Feb. 2024.

“Joseph Bruchac.” Vermont College of Fine Arts, vcfa.edu/visiting-faculty/joseph-bruchac/. Accessed 12 Feb.

2024.

“Joseph Bruchac, Indian Storyteller.” Patricia Newman, 10 Jan. 2023,

www.patriciamnewman.com/kidlit-creators/joseph-bruchac/.

“Culture.” Onondaga Nation, 12 Nov. 2022, www.onondaganation.org/culture/.

“Native American Buffalo Mythology.” Native American Indian Buffalo Legends, Meaning and Symbolism from
the Myths of Many Tribes, www.native-languages.org/legends-buffalo.htm#google_vignette. Accessed 12
Feb. 2024.