The River We Remember

The impact of bigotry and prejudice on both individuals and their communities is one of The River We Remember’s most important themes. Bigotry, prejudice, and anti-Indigenous sentiment run deep in the town of Jewel and can be observed in multiple places throughout the narrative. It is important to note that such entrenched biases affect not only characters such as Noah and Kyoko Bluestone but also the town itself: Although the evidence does initially point towards Noah’s potential guilt in the death of Jimmy Quinn, many in the town believe him to be guilty just because of his Indigeneity. The conflict that arises between the different factions of the townspeople—those who believe in Noah’s guilt and those who understand the role that racism plays in interactions between white and Indigenous people—tears at the social fabric of the town and becomes a source of discord within the community.

Anti-Indigenous sentiment is the most obvious form of racism in the book, and it is the kind of racism that resonates the most with present-day biases and prejudices. Krueger illustrates the role that such prejudice has always played in shaping social relations in and around Jewel, noting “the long, difficult history that existed between the whites of Black Earth County and those in whom the blood of the Sioux ran” (97). Although Jimmy Quinn had been widely disliked in and around Jewel, there is a sense that because he was white, he still had a more important position in the community than Noah Bluestone. Noah is arguably a more ethical and upstanding individual, but because he is Dakota, he becomes the scapegoat for Jimmy’s murder. Although many in the town are suspicious of Noah, the anger of the especially prejudiced townspeople boils over into would-be acts of violence, and Landis, who ultimately forms a posse with violent intentions, expresses the racist sentiment that Indigenous people “haven’t got an honest bone in their bodies” (146). Tyler Creasy, who is actually guilty of stealing the gasoline Jimmy accused Noah of taking, seethes with anti-Indigenous racism and often spouts racial slurs when speaking about Noah.

Anti-Indigenous prejudice is not the only form of racism depicted in this text. Because the novel takes place so soon after World War II, there is still resentment towards the two nations who had been the US’s enemies during the war: Germany and Japan. This is an accurate reflection of anti-German and anti-Japanese sentiment in the United States during the war and in the decades that followed the Allied victory. Krueger notes that the director of the funeral home changed his name so that it would appear less German and describes subtle acts of prejudice directed towards Jimmy’s wives, both of whom were German. Kyoko is shunned because she is Japanese, and it is not until the truth about Jimmy’s death is revealed and Kyoko has lost her husband that the town softens in its treatment of her. These acts of prejudice, both great and small, are shown to have an emotionally damaging effect on the individuals to whom they are directed but are also shown to be damaging forces within the town. They chip away at the community’s sense of cohesion and create strife and division among the townspeople. Through this depiction, Krueger shows the way that prejudice and racism harm not only individuals but also communities.

Masculinity and the coming-of-age process is another important thematic focal point within the novel. One of the problems that Krueger identifies with mid-century white culture in the United States is its lack of formal coming-of-age rites for young men:

Most cultures have a rite or ritual of some kind that marks the end of childhood and the assumption of the responsibilities and standing of an adult. In the tradition of the Sioux or the Chippewa, our native tribes here in Minnesota, that’s a vision quest (139).

Because the novel is so interested in the psychological impact of war on soldiers, Krueger’s focus is primarily on coming of age within the context of masculinity. He argues that without such rituals and ceremonies, the period between adolescence and adulthood is ill-defined and that young men struggle to understand when they are supposed to have made a transition to adulthood. The novel portrays World War II as the primary coming-of-age rite for the generation of men who were sent there. Combat transformed men like Brody, Sam, and Tyler, but the novel also suggests that the conflict and violence at the heart of the visions of masculinity they internalized harmed these men as much as they helped them mature.

The next generation of boys lacks a concrete rite of passage. Both Scott and his friend Del, adolescent boys coming of age, struggle with the transition to adulthood and with understanding what it means to become a man. Neither has a father, and Del’s stepfather, Tyler, is not a positive influence. The events leading up to and surrounding the climax of the novel serve as a rite of passage of sorts for the boys, particularly Scott. As with the older generation, Scott and Del’s coming-of-age is violent, but the nature and motivation of the violence are different. Scott saves the life of Del’s cousin and is then forced to shoot Tyler during an altercation with Noah over Tyler’s assault on Kyoko. Krueger notes that the shooting is emotionally difficult for Scott and that it will echo through the rest of his life. Even as an adult, he will not be able to forget that fateful day. It is interesting to note that the two examples given of rites of passage, the war and Tyler’s fatal shooting, are traumatic. Through this representation, Krueger argues that overcoming hardship and being forced into hard choices confers maturity upon an individual: Brody, Scott, and various other veterans in Jewel “became men” at the moment when they were forced to make and then live with difficult decisions. Still, the fact that Scott acts to defend the innocent against harm suggests that the next generation of men is bringing deeper empathy to their version of masculinity.