The paper analyzes the elements that constitute Native American identity
in Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water (1993). In the novel, King juxtaposes
two ethnic identities white Christian American representing the majority in
the American society and Native American representing a minority King portrays
the struggle of Native Americans in the US and Canada to define their identity given
the historically long rift between their native heritage and the white culture Stigmatized
for their ethnicity and race Native Americans were exposed to marginalization
and prejudice and forced to somehow overcome this position The struggle
has been made more difficult by the efforts of the dominant society to assimilate
them and at the same time prevent them from claiming full citizenship King
carefully weaves the stories of his characters who constantly go back and forth
between the reservation lands and the outside world having to find their position in
both and usually not belonging to either By focusing on the world of the reservation,
Native American spirituality tribal tradition of storytelling and creation
myths, King examines different aspects of Native American ethnic identity and
through juxtaposition of the Native American ethnic identity with that of the
dominant society reevaluates the marginalized position of the Native Americans.

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• Ethnic identity in Thomas King’s Green Grass, Running Water