Tomson Highway's "Kiss of the Fur Queen" is my favorite of what we have read so far. Vulgarity, creativity and abstract language are some of my favorite characteristics in writing. One of the things that surprised me about Highway's novel, which I do not want to say in class for fear that it is a false reaction to this piece, is his lack of abhorrence towards the priests in the Res School. It seems as though he almost appreciates what they have done for him. Granted, Jeremiah was given a chance to excel as a pianist and it seems he was not molested, but Gabriel treats the molestation as almost positive. He describes the priest as tasting like his "most favourite food, warm honey," which is not such a bad thing. This leads me to wonder if Gabriel was born a homosexual, which he probably was, or if he was made that way during Res School. On another note, this book connects with other readings, especially Ravensong, in the double consciousness of the boys and Stacy, and their different ways of handling it. Stacy is somewhat in between the extremity of how the boys handled it. She was able to bridge the gap while realizing that she was different from both groups. Jeremiah has a really hard time being both Native and part of the white culture while Gabriel embraces both cultures. Towards the end of Highway's novel, the boys do reconcile their double consciousness by publishing plays that embrace their native culture. If I could ask Highway one thing it would be, "What do you have to say about how Residential Schools shaped who you are?" All in all, this novel was fascinating and eye-opening, not only about homosexuality but about the complex struggles of Natives. It was something I would never have read had I not taken this class and something that leads me to want to read more of Tomson Highway.

I have very mized feelings about this book. On top of everything, it was very well written and very complex but simple enough for most to understand what the writer was trying to get us to take away from reading it. Some of the events told in the book are downright disturbing, as i am sure many of my classmates will agree with me on. The abuse at the residential schools and its lifetime effects on the two brothers is really moving to me.This is an issue that has been out more and more in recent years but it layed dormant for so long it just shocks one to think why and how this could happan and for that bulk of time when so many suffered from similar things. I mean Gabriel, in my opinion, never really recovers from it and in some ways it goes with him to his death for better or wosr, although this is highly disputed.I can't fully explain my feelings on the whole issue of the abuses at this time but maybe i can blog back in a while when i can and for now move on to other things. His depiction of Natives of Canada is what i think to be the best we have gotten so far from all of the readings due to the sheer volume of details put forth in the text. His parents intrigued me in particular because of the different stages of life and their different additudes as well as their respect of Catholocisim. I don't know if i ever would have come across Tomson Highway or this book if i had not taken this class so for this i thank the professor. i can't say i liked the book at this point but i can say i was definatly glad that i read it and it makes me want to learn more about this region and it's Natives and if experiences were similar for most of them. All in all, a successful read because it makes you think, which i feel is the most important aspect of any book, novel, poetry e.t.c.

I really enjoyed reading this novel; in fact it was hard for me to put down so I read it all in one go. For me, it’s because the characters are so real. Everything in the novel was so personal—the passion for music and dance, the abuse, struggles in adulthood, disease—that I couldn’t help but get caught up in their lives. The issues of abuse and assimilation are so important to the characters and the novel as a whole. It’s a rare book that takes something as horrifying and disturbing as abuse and makes it vital to the book—so vital that without it, the story would not only suffer but wouldn’t be there. Without the abuse they went through, the boys would have taken different paths in their assimilation to white culture, or perhaps not even assimilated at all. Would they have even pursued music and dance to the degree they did without their abuse, especially Gabriel? (For example, his sexual encounters with Greg are verbally reminiscent of his abuse from the priest; would he have felt the same way without his residential school experiences? Is this even making any sense?) What surprised me most about the novel was when Jeremiah gave up piano; it was such a driving force for him in the first part of the novel that the sudden lack of it was almost distracting as a reader. And I don’t think any opinions of the novel I’ve had have changed since class discussions started; I’ve liked it from the start, and always knew that the characters and themes are interwoven and complicated.

Tomson Highway's "Kiss of the Fur Queen", is my favorite thus far. The topic of the residential school and its negative consequences is a topic I find very interesting but have yet to learn much about. There are several themes that were central to their stay at the Birch Lake Residential School. The first is the theme of power which can be seen in two main way, the first is the cutting of the hair. "He was being skinned alive, in public; the centre of his nakedness shrivelled to the size and texture of a raisin, the whole world staring, pointing, laughing" (53). The other is of course the molestation of the boys by Prise Lafleur, while obviously sexual this act has a lot to do with power, the acquisition of power from the boy by the priest. These two examples reflect the power of the Church and those who act within it are seen as faultless, thus why the boys always blame themselves, as if it was something they did that caused them to be rape. It was seen as divine retribution.
Another theme, one could argue the central theme, is the circular nature of the world and how one event is destined (which would mean that it is out of the particular person's control) to repeat. The main example I saw was the scene of triumph followed by the champion being kissed by the Fur Queen. It happens first to Abraham after he wins the dog race. The later in the middle of the book (page 214-215) the same passage is repeated, only with Jeremiah's name inserted in. Later still, the final chapter as Gabriel dies, another passage of Abraham's win is repeated (the stuff in italics)only with Gabriel's name. This theme of circular destiny is a complicated one that deserves further thought but as I see it now fate is a concept that ties the men together across generational, personal, cultural, and sexual differences

I have to say that I had mixed feelings about "Kiss of the Fur Queen". I enjoyed reading the story and found many parts to be very shocking and exciting, which is always a plus, but on the other side it seems like a book I would need to read a second time to really understand. I was a bit confused as I went from one part to the next, but when I looked back on the book as a whole it obviously all fell into place. "The Truth About Stories" and "Ravensong" were both a little easier and quicker to read, but this was a good challenge a 1/3 the way through the semester. Our Monday night group discussions and collaboration definately helped with my understanding of the novel, and I was suprised at how many little things I missed while reading. The aspects of names, music, and mythology, which I did not pay attention to much while reading, all popped out much more throughout the discussion.
I think that this book is much more emotional and "deep" than the other two books we have read, and could be broken down and talked about more than the previous books and articles. We made quite the list on the board of everything from homosexuality to animals to story telling, and I'm sure that we could have filled up another chalkboard or two with more topics. The symbolism and emotions that arose from this book made me everything from angry to sad to confused, which is something that has not happened with any readings that we have done so far in this class.
Tomson Highway seems like quite an interesting character, and asking him only one question would be like asking someone you know so much about but have never spoken with just one thing. A full interview and conversation would most likely answer some of the questions I still have about "Kiss of the Fur Queen", but if I had to ask just one question, it would probably be "Name three things that Native's can do to reconnect with their past on a daily basis."

Kiss of the Fur Queen is my favorite of the two fictional novels we have read so far. I felt like I was able to relate more to the situations and characters in Kiss of the Fur Queen, as opposed to Ravensong. The characters, especially in the first half of the book, were more much developed which propelled me to want to keep on reading. Also I thought the native mythology in this book were much easier to understand, even though Highway's writing drifted in and out of the present and the past. I think this is because he wanted to the reader to focus on the meaning of the myths rather than understanding every detail. I've had a positive reaction to the book since I finished it, though I have picked up on some aspects of the novel I missed the first time around. If anything, inclass information about Highway's immodest personality is the only thing I felt uneasy about. It seems strange, also, that he would create his likeness 'Jeremiah' to be such an humble character in the book.

I felt an immediate similarity to Ravensong with Highway's decision to focus the novel on characters who, first forced into white schools, eventually choose to remain into white society, rather than return to their native community. I think their situations represent how strong the pressure was to assimilate into the white community.
Another common link between the two novels is that they both had similar inconclusive and unsettling endings. I think this connects to theme that their is no "happy" ending for First Nations people. Their battle with the effects of residential schools and present alcoholism, suicide, and drug use, is an ongoing struggle.

The inherent lack of control that Jeremiah and his brother experienced in their early years is tragic and disturbing, and I noticed a similarity as I began to read In Search of April Raintree. The two girls in that novel have zero control over their lives, as compared to Jeremiah and Gabriel, and I am finding it even more unsettling to read. I like the way that Highway and Mosionier (Raintree author) both breach subjects that are difficult to swallow. Things like sexual abuse in residential school are hard to read, but just because something isn't nice to hear about doesn't mean one should turn a blind eye.

? My question for Tomson Highway...
"Kiss of the Fur Queen deals a lot with homosexuality. The characters Jeremiah and Gabriel are loosely based on you and your brother, who are both openly gay. Is the way Jeremiah originally disproves of Gabriel's homosexuality realistic? If not, why was this change made in the novel?

In contrast with a lot of the comments already posted concerning Tomson Highway’s “Kiss of the Fur Queen,” I actually enjoyed “Ravensong” significantly more. For whatever reasons I felt that I could relate more with the characters in “Ravensong,” whether it was Stacey or Celia. I actually had a hard time following the plot of “Kiss of the Fur Queen,” feeling that it had frequent ins and outs of randomness. But I did not completely despise it.

Looking closely at Jeremiah and Gabriel, I can’t help but feel that Jeremiah reflects what Gabriel is constantly battling. Jeremiah, obviously the more conventional, socially accepted, brother. Gabriel being the more modernized, liberal, so-called outcast. While Jeremiah represents what he “should” be, what represents what he truly is? Besides himself of course.

In an odd perverse way I think that the bouts of imagery relating to the sexually molesting Priests are almost the other side of the spectrum for Gabriel. No I am not saying that he WANTS to engage in such activity, but looking at it from a general societal view, the molestation is an act that is socially unacceptable like homosexuality, and male feminine characteristics. In other words, Gabriel’s dancing being seen by many in his society as a hobby merely done by “limp-wristed pansies” (Highway 198), it is unjustified. Likewise, his homosexuality is too not accepted as it should be. The extremely disturbing scenes with Father Lafleur doing such things as rubbing his body “against the child’s lips, over and over again” (Highway 78) are in a sense more accepted. Whether it is because they are concealed appropriately, with many siding with him even if the boys told others (Highway 92), or not, that is another discussion. The fact of the matter is that an aspect of life (homosexuality, men exhibiting “feminine” characteristics) is unjustly unaccepted. On the other hand, an aspect of life that is beyond screwed up (molestation) is accepted, whether by default or not.

My thoughts on the book have not changed throughout our various class discussions, other than that I thought about the intervention of fate more. I realized that the way in which both brothers portray fate is almost precisely how I feel towards it. In that, even if it seems bad at the time, it is written out for you that way to be in the end good. CORNY, I know.

"Kiss of the Fur Queen" was a very interesting read to say the least. When I started reading initially I was confused, because of the dreamlike quality to much of the text and the mix of English and Cree. However, as I read on and we began discussing this novel in class I began to understand Highway's writing style and enjoy it more. Although, I came to appreciate Highway's style, the dreamlike quality to much of the text and the myths incorporated into the text I had a hard time reading about the preists sexually abusing the young boys. What was even more disturbing than the abuse was the fact that Gabriel seemed to enjoy it in some sense. "Yes, father please! Make me bleed! Please, please make me bleed! (Highway, p. 85). I also found the images of Jesus mixed with the abuse to be extremely distrubing. "Gabriel could see the pendulous silver crucifix across the breast of the preist's black cassock. What was it about the naked man nailed to the beam of the wood that caused his pulsing restlessness?" (p. 129). On a more positive note I liked the fact that there were many reoccuring themes that we saw over and over in the novel, and the way that Gabriel and Jeremiah's destiny's seemed to be layed out for them since the beginning of the novel.

It was very interesting to find out that this novel was written based on a true story. My biggest question for Thomson Highway is, how did your family and friends react to the way in which you depicted them in the story?

I'm going to agree with a lot that has been said here already. I found the book to be interesting. It was confusing with its approach at first because of the constant transitioning between the realm of the real world and that of illusion or visions that the characters had. Probably what I found most interesting, and it really hit me the other day in class was our talk about destiny and the reoccuring themes. The fact that Gabriel's molestation by the priest in the residential school may have contributed to his homosexuality and his liking of what it offered him (i.e. the position of power that the priest had over him as a child) is something that is shocking on the surface, but it made the story interesting in that regard because Highway seemed to push peoples limits on what they could read about disturbing situations like child abuse. I think it can really relate back to "The Truth About Stories" in that our actions and experiences tell the story of our lives, and it is "all that we are."

I thought that Kiss Of the Fur Queen took a very interesting and enlightening look at the topic of residential schools in Canada. I was amazed that the section of the novel that was set in the school was so short, yet the implications it had on the entire novel were quite grand in scale. Some of the unique things that I enjoyed about the novel were the use of the Cree language and how Highway provided a glossary at the back of the book to help out any non native reader. Although turning to the glossary and back to the page of the text was sometimes annoying (another option could have been putting the translations via end note at the end of the page) I thought that in the end it was quite worth it.
One of the other major things I liked about this novel was the connecting of the two cultures in Gabriel and Jeremiah’s lives. Unlike Ravensong, where the protagonist was seemingly at odds at the possibility of keeping her native culture while in a modern world, it was almost refreshing to see that the only way that Gabriel and Jeremiah could only achieve success was through the embracing of their heritage. I think that theme of embracing one’s culture and heritage can be applicable to all peoples, not just First Nation’s peoples.
If I could ask Highway one question it would be something like this: How did you go about injecting the haunting emotion that you felt in your own life, into this novel? Was it tough trying to express what you have experienced in reality, while still giving it a fictitious feel?

Highway's novel reminded me (in some aspects) a lot of Ravensong. They both had a lot of surrealistic imagery and also used elements from what seemed to be the dreamlike state, the conscious awake state, and a mix of something in between--maybe the collection of past memories in the unconscious memory tied along with the conscious memory, making sort of a whirlwind of thoughts to be processed in the novel. In that regard, I had trouble really relating to either of these novels. I guess I prefer more of the straightforward novels like "In Search of April Raintree." I feel that it's just easier to relate to characters' feelings when they're actually straight with you--projecting emotions straightforwardly can be just as effective as is the use of imagery and the stream of consciousness (a little faulkner-esque, i felt).

I feel also that, while this may easily get shot down, being female makes it a little harder to relate to a novel with basically all male characters- although Gabriel and Jeremiah give us a good sense of what they are going through with their dialogue and memories, I still feel like if it were from a female perspective I would have felt more what they were going through.

What surprised me, in general, the most was the after-effects that the sexual abuse had on the brothers. I feel like it was just so easy for Gabriel to move on and make a new happy life for himself. Jeremiah, at least from what I took from the story, had a much harder struggle with the whole thing, and he hadn't even really come to terms with it until the end of the novel. I agree a lot with what has alreayd been said above, as well, in that Gabriel took a sort of pleasure from the priest and it really stuck with him later in life. It actually kind of weirded me out and makes me wonder if that is a normal reaction for children, or anyone, who gets raped or molested.. or if it was just some sort of religious passion intertwined with sexual pleasure..?

One of the things I liked about the novel, though, was the idea that it's possible to build a better life for yourself even after something tragic has happened to you, and also retain your culture that was basically ripped away. I feel that Jeremiah, in repressing his memories (which I guess he couldn't necessairly control?), had a much more negative view on things and was generally in a very discombobulated, frustrated sort of state. I think once you let go of your past, and accept it, it's much easier to move on. Gabriel confronted the whole situation, at least mentally and emotionally, and although he died young, he lived a much more carefree life.

Now, I'm not sure EXACTLY how much of this was autobiographical, so I would probably ask Highway if all of the Catholic school abuse really happened and how that has affected him or even helped him thus far. Also, if he meant for Gabriel's homosexuality to spawn from the abuse received.

Of the three books we have read thus far, Kiss the Fur Queen is by far my favorite. Although some of the themes within the story we had seen before in Ravensong and The Truth About Stories, Highway's book went above and beyond. Particularly, I found the discussion of myths interesting within the story. For instance, the discussion regarding Christian v. Native myths. I found Highway to be extremely honest, at times shockingly so. As a result of his honesty regarding priests, sexual abuse, homosexuality, etc., I am left wondering how his friends/family reacted to this. I would undoubtedly ask Highway the question if given the opportunity.

I suppose one of the things that struck me the most about Highway's "Kiss of the Fur Queen" was the way it both tells a story but also says something about stories themselves.

Of course, this aspect of the text reminds me of King's ideas about the interrelated nature of all stories in his "...Truth About Stories".

Another thing I think is worth mentioning about this book is the way it transitions so smoothly between the real and the imaginary throughout the plot...at first, I was confused by this and found it somewhat hard to follow, but by the end of the book I really had come to appreciate the way it colored the literal actions with imagery of imaginary characters as that of the Fur Queen, etc.

One question I might have for Tomson is, how similar are the characters and their experiences in the "...Fur Queen" to that of your own and your brothers? What is the same? What's different? And second, how well do you think this story represents the experiences of native Canadian youths in general?

I thought that the "Kiss of the Fur Queen" was beautifully done even with content that is disturbing. The disturbing scenes are not graphic but filled with symbolism and portrayed well with the same affect for the reader (as a graphic scene would be). The divide for the boys between Catholicism and tradition is tragic for the outcome of the family which is forshadowed and conveyed throughout the book. But through the combination of modern and traditional themes, Gabriel and Jeremiah combine their talents of dance and music within the context of both. The hybrid releases tensions between Jeremiah and Gabriel and the end of the book is a tender scene of rekindling the relationship between the two established in the beginning of the book, within the initial traditional beliefs.
I have enjoyed the book and comparitively to the previous, I will probably remember it better than the others for the beautiful way it was written, the polarized brotherhood characters (Jeremiah and Gabriel) and for its content.
If I could ask Highway a question it would probably relate to his own experience with alcohol and shame in relevance to Jeremiah's character.

I would also have to agree that I had very mixed feelings about "Kiss of the Fur Queen." Although I found it an interesting read, I found it very confusing at times. Like a lot of the others in the class, I found Gabriel's take on Father Lafleur's molestation to be pretty disturbing. I was a bit put off by the fact that he seemed to enjoy it in a sense, but at the same time I thought that it was interesting how despite his abuse, he was able to overcome it by the end of the story. Also, like "In Search of April Raintree," April, being the older sibling, seemed to struggle with her identity much in the same way as Jeremiah. Both Cheryl and Gabriel tend to have more of a somewhat naive, innocent take on who they are, and are sheltered to much of the horrible realities of their lives. April and Jeremiah however, are both struck with the need to associate themselves with white society, and cannot help but feel shame about who they are. Also, both Gabriel and Cheryl were able to confront their realities, and although they both end of dying young, they lived their lives much differently than that if their older siblings, with much less tension and apprehension for their Native backgrounds. In the end, if I were to ask Highway one question, I would have to agree with a lot of the class and ask him how much of his own life played into the novel. Did his own shame decipher what the characters go through and how they end up?

"Kiss of the Fur Queen" is a complex book and discussion and dissection only confirms the complexity of the novel. I enjoyed it on first read because of the stories, the insight into the Cree culture, and the wonderful writing style of the author. Deeper readings of this novel become almost overwhelming because of the huge numbers of themes, relationships to people and culture, and changes from myth to reality. This makes it a challenging and interesting read and leaves me wishing for more time for in depth discussion. I am intrigued by the relationship of the central characters and their extended family with the Catholic church. The parents are completely converted and, although reluctant, they willingly give up their children to the Residential schools, apparently oblivious, throughout their lives, of what happens to the boys there. The imagery of Christ and the church is constant in Gabriel's sexual experiences. Jeremiah's and Gabriel's complete rejection of the Church in favor of their native religion at the end of the book almost makes you want to cheer!
Thomson Highway wrote this book as a novel even though it is quite autobiographical. One noted difference is that Thomson's biography says that he is an openly gay man. The character of Jeremiah is not gay and I would ask Highway how that ommission enhanced the story.

"Kiss of the Fur Queen" was too dream-like for me to comprehend. Obviously there was a set plot line through the life of the boys, but there were certain elements that floated throughout the book that were very mystical and mysterious. Through other First Nation's books that I have read, I struggle with the concept of dreams and the roles they portray, but it is a huge part of their culture and it is very prevalent in most of the stories I have read. There are a lot of themes in this novel and at times, it can be hard to keep up with them. The number of important characters can seem overwhelming since there are not many in number, but the complexity of each personality is outstanding. Relationships between siblings are one of my favorite relationships in novels. I have a younger brother so I can relate to having differences, going our own way, and the struggle of not getting along all the time.

There were a lot of immense obstacles that the boys had to face, starting early on with their loss of culture and the sexual assault from the priests. I've noticed a lot of cultural struggle in the novels we have read thus far, but it's a key part of the history of the First Nations people in Canada. I find it very depressing to read this, but it's the truth.

I know the novel was really autobiographical too, so I would ask Highway which parts he elaborated or were really fiction and why he choose to put those parts in with the events that really happened.

I was so delighted by Kiss of the Fur Queen! This book was just gorgeous, by far my favorite out of what we have read so far. It accomplishes a lot while maintaining aesthetic integrity and this is probably what struck me most about the novel. Parts of it certainly do seem to float around-- disembodied metaphors and vague allusions, but their recurrence ties them all together up in this really beautiful mutable vessel. The use of Cree works as an effective tool to illustrate the culture clash as experienced by Gabriel and Jeremiah while attempting assimilation. The loss of their language as they assimilate highlights the transition from culture clash to cultural denial. Another theme that has the same effect is that of the murdered Cree women. Each time, Jeremiah has the chance to save these women, but he never does. In each scenario, he denies his native sisters, each time descending further and further into denial.

The recurrence of biblical images, names, and references is prominent within this novel, and certainly with purpose. The Okimasis brothers are repeatedly molested by Father LaFleur (and LaFleur is an interesting choice, as it means flower in French, and Father Lafleur was certainly no harmless daffodil. Maybe it has something to do with plucking flowers, with deflowering. Am I reading too far into that?)in some of the book's most painful and powerfully disturbing scenes. It is interesting to note that these encounters have serious affects on both of the boys spirituality and sexuality. Gabriel, who is repeatedly associated with Jesus Christ, is a virtual sex pot, for which he is none-too-coincidentally "sacrificed" for in the end. Jeremiah, a chronic denier of all things that require emotional involvement (ancestry, culture, admitting the truth of his past) becomes completely sexually cold, and the only moments in the book in which he seems truly aroused involve violence and young children. He is also the brother who remains the most closely associated with the catholic religion, as if to further deny his past, culture, and to further assimilate into white society.

Kiss of the Fur Queen really moved me. And by that I mean it really upset me. The language used in it was brilliant, colorful, and gave just enough to really let my imagination take over. Which in some parts of the book wasn't that great... as I painted a rather horrific picture.
I found the stories that were weaved through the text magnificent. I really liked how the book all tied together. How the beginning really connected to the end. How there was unity for the family through these stories.
I have to admit that some of it confused me. Maybe I read too fast, and this kind of text calls for slow and careful. Or maybe I'm actually just missing some of the tools that a careful read through with the right perspective could bring.
If I could ask one question it would be: How do you stay so positive? For all the things you've gone through, for all the loss, how do you just keep going? I suppose I know the answer, but I guess I'd still ask the question, because sometimes hearing about another person's hope, especially a person that's been through so much, can bring that hope to the audience.

I too think that this book is my favorite so far. I like this novel for the fact that it deals with many themes such as struggle, growing from a child to adulthood, and finding personal identity which many people as college students or people beginning to reach adulthood face like myself. Like King’s book I enjoy “Kiss of the Fur Queen” also for the fact that it gives me light into a culture that I have not been exposed to at all, even though it is fiction.
I felt something interesting to note in this story was Highway’s writing of Gabriel’s death and what his death symbolized. Gabriel’s death highlights the fact that while at the end of the novel Jeremiah and Gabriel both take a step back, stem from assimilation and accept their native Cree culture, their mother Mariesis represents the action of doing the opposite. When Gabriel is having a religious Cree ceremony performed for him on his death bed Mariesis disapproves by wanting him to have a proper Catholic, not Cree, ceremony. Mariesis says to Jeremiah, “Let the priest in or I’ll kill you”(305). The words in this sentence are symbolic in that they represent the letting in of the Catholic, or anti-Cree way of life, into the life of the Cree people. It is clear that Mariesis has fallen under the trap of assimilation. However, Jeremiah symbolically shows his disapproval of assimilation to the typical white man’s way when he “shoved the midget priest away, pulled Mariesis inside, and slammed the door,” the door of assimilation to an anti-Cree culture(305).
If I had to ask Highway one question I would ask what compelled him to write Gabriel as a homosexual character. Gabriel’s homosexuality added a new layer to Gabriel’s character for the fact that he would not only have to overcome barriers as a minority because of his race but because of his homosexuality as well. Just something to think about. Another reason I like this book, it makes you ask so many questions!

Thomson Highway's "Kiss of the Fur Queen," I surmise, is not what most non-Natives would expect from Native literature. I certainly did not expect a book with sexual abuse and homosexuality as core issues, especially given the title, the jacket design, and the surreality of the opening scenes. Highway's surreal tone goes on to cloak Father Lafluer's unGodly sexual appetite in dreamlike terms. "The notes of the song climbed up and up and up until they reached the silver angel at the top of the Christmas tree, making her wings shimmer and undulate. For all the priest new, Jeremiah Okimasis himself had sprouted wings and was flitting about like a warbler or a finch, lending sparkling light to each golden ball, each silver bell, each piece of tinsel" (66). The stylistic treatment of such disturbing scenes creates a sense of other-wordly dazed confusion which harkens back to Abraham's annointment by the Fur Queen. The repetition of the subverted lyric "Holy infant so tender and mild" further emphisizes how the boys were innocent victims--physically, mentally and spiritually. No matter that Jeremiah severely repressed it and Gabriel expressed it through promiscuity, their innocence was stolen, and never to be returned. The brothers were penetrated down to their very souls. This in additon to being taken from their parents (who were themselves victim to the 'white man's burden') and forcibly assimilated through the Residential School system. If I could ask Highway one question, it would be: Beyond just comic relief, what is the role of humor in a novel that deals wtih such a seriously disturbing subject?

The "Kiss of the Fur Queen" ties an immense amount of topics into one text. Highway makes the reader face the idea of an identity and heritage of two boys being tested throughout the hardships of life and residential school and life inside the city of Winnipeg. Jeremiah and Gabriel are two characters that have such a strong connection to the world that they leave behind that it seems that they will have no trouble keeping their Cree identity. But abuse from Father Lafleur and the stripping nature of residential school leaves Jeremiah and Gabriel as two teenagers who don't truly know who they are. Winnipeg offers a world of unknowns. SOlice from the lonliness of a city full of people is found through the art forms that Gabriel and Jeremiah are each blessed with. Dancing and piano are the two outlets for these Cree teenagers who find themselves without any direction. But by the end of the novel it is the combination of these two art forms that brings Gabriel and Jeremiah back to their native culture.

Tomson Highway writes with a very sarcastic tone throughout "Kiss of the Fur Queen." Through extreme hardships and abuse there is still always this tone of light-heartedness. I feel that this brings the book closer to home. It makes the reader relate more to the two characters that at times seem so foreign to us. Highway's influx of Cree language also gives the text an authenticity that is not easy to find.

Sorry I forgot to add in the last part of the question about if I could ask Tomson Highway one question and about how it relates to the other books we've read.

As for other books, I found the strongest connection between the ideas that Thomas King broughout up in "The Truth About Stories" about how stories are told and the language that they are told in play a huge role in how the story is perceived. How Gabriel and Jeremiah are told stories plays huge roles in their lives. Much like the Essay question asked, the stories shape their identity and how they act.

If I had one question I would as Tomson Highway if laughing makes the memories less painful?

My opinion of "Kiss of the Fur Queen" was drastically different while reading it verses after completion. The plot was very rapid and tied in so many (though all important) events in the characters' lives that it took reflection and discussion post-reading to really take in the significance of all the minor happenings. One of the aspects that struck me the hardest was the resonance of the abuse the Okimasis brothers had to endure at the residential schools. Obviously, Highway's accounts were graphic, but what was really disturbing to me was the myriad ways that those experiences reflected themselves in the remainder of Jeremiah and Gabriel's lives. Through class discussions I definitely was able to see more ways in which the discrimination and abuse appeared as triggers for different reactions and events. Also, I found it very interesting that by the end of the novel, the brothers were able to tie in their native heritage to their modern art. I did not expect the novel to go in this direction, since the boys were both becoming progressively more and more modernized and urbanized. However, the incorporation of the play at the end of the novel brought many of the concepts presented full-circle. I would probably ask Thompson Highway where he felt his own turning point was- at what time in his life he felt driven to incorporate his own history into his art.

I found this book to very interesting. At first i was caught off gaurd by Highway's style of writing, by his interesting sense of humor. After i heard the clip of him talking however, i was able to connect with his book with much more ease. He clearly has no problem brushing up against societal norms and western values, which can be seen throughout the novel. What fascinated me the most in this book, was the speed at which the boys transitioned from cree culture into western culture. It seems that hundreds of years of tradition can be lost in a single generation, swallowed by the pressure of fitting in to a backwords world. If only the boys had not been forced into residential schools, maybe they could have held onto thier own traditions a while longer. I find it very unfortunate that so many peoples cultures are in the process of being lost as i write, if not already buried forever. This theme of lost culture draws clear parallels with Stacey's struggle for identity in "In Search of April Raintree"

My question would be: while many accounts of residential schools seem very dark, your's is not as harsh as i would have accpected. What is it that made your experience possibly better than other native americans?

Highway’s “Kiss of the Fur Queen,” powerfully addresses the styles and issues delt with in First Nation post-colonial writing. What makes this text so powerful is the language in which the novel presents itself. The parallel nature of childhood stories and modern experiences (ie. Abraham’s race, Jeremiah’s performance), point us in no particular direction as a reader, but rather in a circle. Common to many of the novels we have come into contact with this semester, we are reminded of the balanced and harmonious nature of First Nation Culture. In western literature everything represented in text seems linear. Take for instance the detective novel, created and developed in American literature; something bad happens, a protagonist looks for clues, overcomes adversity, figures out what happens, and catches the bad guy in some climactic way. We see this throughout Hollywood films, television series, and our fascination with it can even be seen in the news. With “Kiss of the Fur Queen,” and other novels, the plot connects to each other in omnipresent sort of way. With no straight lines in the narrative, we are better able to experience the connectiveness presented in First Nation society, and importantly, how the problems of colonialism interact with a culture where all points lead to the center of a circle.

I was prejudiced toward Kiss of the Fur Queen by the radio interview we heard with Highway. I thought he was a cocky a-hole. Thus, a lot of the story annoyed me because I thought he was being cocky and self-serving. Outside of a resentment towards Tomson, the book itself was remarkably powerful. The way he so vividly conjured up fantastic and magical images left a mark in mind. Especially potent was the repeating references to the murdered women. I do not really understand the purpose of these images, but, if they are based in fact, and it seems quite probable, maybe the point is for the reader to wonder, “why? Why the terrible, grotesque violence?”
Regarding how class changed how I thought about the book, not much of my gut reaction or basic interpretation changed, but my analysis was definitely affected by two ideas that were brought up. The first idea is how the characters react to the primary or central narrative? I don’t think that’s the right phrase, but how the characters either reject or accept or dabble in the larger cultures expected stories for themselves. Also, I had not really thought about the role of destiny in the book. I still wonder about that–Highway makes a strong connection between his father’s winning of the dog-sled-race and his own success as a pianist, but a lot of other characters were a mystery. For example, while Gabriel seems to be fated to be a dancer, his premature suffering and death seems to have no link to inheritence or fate.
Overall, while I don’t really like Tomson Highway, his book was powerful. Each of the stories we have read are different from traditional western novels in a large way due to the presence of mystical or magical elements. Each book also incorporates the magical differently. Kiss of the Fur Queen definitely provided the most visceral experience of the magical out of the books, and was extremely powerful verbally, leaving imprints of scenes and sensations the book gave me. If I met Tomson, I would probably not ask these questions, but still: Were you molested also in the residential school? Were the murder’s of women in the story based on true events? Was the “fur queen” supposed to represent a trickster, a demon, the devil, or just a reference to the false power of Christianity?

I really enjoyed Kiss of the Fur Queen, it is probably my favorite of the semester. I really liked the images that Highway created with his writing, as well as the humor in the novel despite some of the difficult themes. I was very intrigued with the knowledge that it was based on the lives of Thomson and his brother, and this knowledge definitely added to my interest in the novel. The descriptions of residential school and the stark contrasts between Jeremiah's family's life and the life that he and Gabriel come to live in the city are eye-opening and very interesting. I especially liked the way that issues of power are so apparent when Jeremiah has his hair cut and his name changed by the priests and nuns at the residential school. Language is also an interesting theme in the book as Jeremiah and Gabriel find that they cannot communicate certain ideas in Cree once they've learned english and spent a lot of time in non-native society. I found it to be similar to other books that we've read in its dealing with the differences between native and non native life and difficult issues such as alcoholism and the residential school system. I would like to ask Thomson Highway more about his family and what happened to his sisters that we learn about in the beginning of the novel but do not hear more about as the novel progresses.

My opinion of Kiss of the Fur Queen has gone back and forth quite a bit. I was intrigued even by the look of it ever since I first eyed it at the book store, so I was looking forward to reading it. The blending of fantasy and reality is an interesting approach that is certainly consistent with Jeremiah and Gabriel's background but it made it difficult to read at times. The novel also sort of dragged for a little while after Gabriel and Jeremiah got older. I really could not see where the story was going, but I do like where it ended up, especially with the brothers teaming up for their production. I found their relationship interesting, they didn't see eye to eye on many things, but by the end their connection was stressed The character development in this book is its strongest point. You can really trace the growth of their personalities as you get further and further into the book. The bond between the brothers is an elaboration on this point. Witnessing the evolution of their relationship helped me to understand the deep complexities of their bond. I don't like the degree of acceptance that Abraham and Mariesis display in regards to the catholic church, especially considering that the beginning of the book paints Abraham's character as a warrior type when he becomes the dog derby champion. Not only does he willingly let the priests take the children away, Abraham and Mariesis completely buy into it and encourages the children to continue to go to church. This creates an interesting friction between the brothers, religion, and their parents. This follows them all the way until Gabrielle's death when Jeremiah has to physically force the priest away from his Mom as he pulls her into the hospital room, where they are conducting Indian rituals.

Since it seems that there are many parallels between Tomson Highway's life and the novel, I would like to know how much of the story was autobiographical and how much was made up. I don't know if I would directly ask him this question, since the book is very revealing and he might not even answer the question honestly if at all.

Kiss of the Fur Queen was a very interesting novel to me. It took a native Jeremiah and his musical talent and thrust him into a culture where he could never hope to fit in. he takes solitary confinement in his music and it helps his cope and describe the foreign culture he is now a part of. This book also goes a long way towards describing the horrible conditions of the residential schools, and how naïve the native children were to its evils. I am glad at least Jeremiah takes some solstice in the Catholic religion because it is not evil it is the men at the residential school who use it for evil means. I also enjoy Highway’s different humor that he uses. It shows a very great deal of irony. The very fact that these two boys transitioned so quickly from one culture to another I find very astounding, and hopeful.

This novel is unlike anything I have ever read. I'll be honest and say that initially I had a lot of trouble with it, simply because of its style. It was difficult for me to adjust to the way he would describe certain things in such fantastical and surreal ways--like the birth of Champion, for example. However, I like that Highway's style basically forces you to open your mind. I found myself saying to myself "well, I guess I'll just have to read it until I understand!" A few times, I had to go back and reread. And while other things we read up to this point had similar elements, KOTFQ was the most traditionally Native storytelling, in my opinion. And I think if I had a chance to pick Highway's brain, I would want to know how many of the stories he told in the novel had been told to him, and if he was incorporating his own background and culture into the book more than he was writing fiction.

I liked this novel a lot, for me, it was definitely a make counterpart of In Search Of April Raintree because they had similar experiences with similar fates. What I really liked about this novel the most was in the beginning how Highway depicted the family growing up together in the bush. if i had one question for Thompson Highway, It would definitely be What was it like growing up in the wilderness? It seems like such a magical place, where children grow up fast, but also have the freedom the explore and teach themselves lessons about the enviroment they live in. Another magical quality seemed to be the comradery of the brothers and their coinciding talents. I loved the images i got of them as little boys playing music and dancing and playing around in the snow together.

i think if i had to sum of kiss of the fur queen in one word, i might pick something like "creepy." thinking back on the book, it definitely had a peculiar and unpleasant vibe. though, i suppose, given the real subject matter of what highway writes about, there's no way the book could have been anything other than creepy and beyond.

that being said, i love the fantastic elements of the story blending with the real- the arthur c. clarke-esque space baby blasting down out of the cosmos and running through the forest and jumping squat on the mother's belly, the divine quality of the fur queen, the strange sexy fox pianist monster hallucination, etc.

if i ran into tomson highway and had the chance to ask him a question, i would probably get creeped out by his mannerisms and slink away.

Tomson Highway's "Kiss of the Fur Queen" struck me at first as overly artistic in how it incorporated native mythology into the story which really turned me off. Although looking back I still find it a little self-conscious, our discussion about metafiction in class made me appreciate it the book much more. Its comment (if it does actually comment) that "fiction is myth" relates to Tom King's "The Truth About Stories". Myths are traditionally told for the purpose of explaining something in nature and in parallel, according to King, the stories we tell ourselves explain what our lives are to ourselves. All one has to do is change the stories we tell to change our perspective. Though (with a Western concept of the "one" truth) we may not think so, stories become something that is told specifically for a purpose and in that way become remarkably similar to myth.

Kiss of the fur queen was an interesting book and i really still dont know what to think of it. The use of the cree language was different to me and i dont think i would be interested in reading more stories like this. The whole idea of Gabriel getting molested by the priest really got my attention because i wasnt expecting that at all. I think this novel was similar to Ravensong because like Stacy, the boys were sent to school in a white society and then decided to stay there instead of returning to be with their families in the Native community. If i had a chance to talk to Thomas King i would as him if he heard this story from somebody, it was part of his life, or he just thought of it and wrote about it?

I liked the ambiguity of Kiss of the Fur Queen the most and its lack of a direct didactic message, something I think it unique in this course (with the exception of Blood Sports, which I think comes from a very different place). Highway's comments about the residential schools not being "so bad" we discussed in class find their reflection in the book, since they did give the boys an outlet for and training in their artistic disciplines, but I think Highway consciously highlights the devastating effects of the residential school precisely because they were so awful, despite what he has said. I think the tension there is valuable for opening up the discourse surrounding these painful issues. while I don't think anyone would ever suggest that the residential school system was beneficial for Native communities, this offers a more "balanced" portrait of the system that makes its horror all the more believable. By not didactically shouting about the awfulness of the institution, its horror shines all the more brightly because, really, how much worse could it be? I think this principle holds true for most aspects of the book, including moving off the reserve into the cities, the Catholic church, etc: Highway's strength at portraying them ambivalently lets the reader see an interesting and different perspective of Native life that simultaneously points to the problems with it.

Colonialism has made an immense impact on ingdigenous cultures all over thw world. One of the main components that makes colonialism so destructive is the institution that the colonizers impose on the colonized. Education is crucial in the colonial process. In Kiss of the Fur Queen Champion and Jeremiah are sent to The Birch Lake Residential School, where their identity transformation starts to begin. The diasporic elements to Highway's novel are crucial and the school is an example of how memories are created and linked to different locations. The school is the site of transformation, a symbol of the imposition of the white world. The priests that molest Gabriel are created to emphasize the destruction that the Church had on the boys through their schooling. When the boys graduate they are left as confused and incomplete characters in search of their real identities.

I thought that this novel was an amazing look at the way religion and education can control a person's life choices and identity. Gabriel Okimassis is surely a symbol of the destruction that colonialism wrecks on its victims.

My reaction to Kiss of the Fur Queen was neither good nor bad. I enjoyed the story and what Highway presented to the reader, but I occasionally found myself to be a little bored. The relationship between Jeremiah and Gabriel was really interesting; I guess all of the relationships within the book were really interesting. In this course, I have really been concentrating on the characters within each novel. The characters are ultimately what make the book, so I guess I always want to learn and understand them as best I can. The novel really does a good job connecting with everything else we have read in the course. The clash of cultures, looking at the impact of residential schools, and the displacement of Cree people are all things we have considered. It really fits in well with the structure of the semester. After reading the questions people would have for Highway, I can’t stop thinking about what Alex and Tom have said. The inclusion of humor really interests me. I think more so for a novel like Green Grass, Running Water, I would also question if laughing, comedy and humor make troubled times easier? Does it aid in recovering or make it harder? And Tom, I couldn’t help but laugh out loud with your idea that Highway is so creepy. Hah! If I was face to face with him, I might just wonder where he comes up with his ideas.