God and Indian Essays

Play’s review The play “God and the Indian” talks about two people, a female student and her teacher, from one residential school finally meet after forty years. They have a long conversation which reveals how much Indian children have suffered in schools and how teachers have abused their students, and also shows the tensions between white and Native people. It is written by famous Drew Hayden Taylor. He is a master of playwriting, and has many popular plays such as Dead White Writer on the Floor (2011). He is hailed as “one of Canada’s leading Native playwrights”. The director of God and the Indian is Ranae Morriseau, a dedicated acting staff. She has worked as an actress, TV host, writer, director and producer. She has directed many successful plays such as In the Heart of the City (2004) and Storyweaving (2012). There are only two characters in this play. Johnny, a native Cree woman, is forced to go to a residential school when she is a child, but now she is a homeless wandering on streets. She is alcoholic, sick, and somehow mentally disturbed. She hopes to be recognized, but she could only be a ghost that nobody knows. She is casted by Tantoo Cardinal who has more than forty years of experience as an actress. She has been in plays such as King Lear and Three Little Birds. Assistant Bishop George King, casted by Michael Kopsa from Circle In the Square Theatre school in New York, is a former residential school teacher, and he has taught Johnny many years ago. He knows how other teacher abuse native students but fails to stop them, so he leaves residential school and starts working for the God. He tries to help Johnny, but her wounds cannot be healed only by his words. This story takes place in Assistant Bishop George King’s office. Because of King’s promotion party, there are still some trash and alcohol left. The most ironic setting of the office is the picture on the wall. In that picture, these is a harmonious and relaxing scene showing Lord Jesus Christ sitting in a forest with a group of Indian children. However, Indian children only find suffer and pain due to those white dominated, Christian residential schools. One of the victims is Johnny. She sees her teacher, George King, in front of a Time Horton’s and follow him to his office. She has no friends nor families, but she wishes King to recognize her because she does not want to live like a ghost. However, after departing for forty years, King cannot recall her name. Johnny criticizes how teacher have abused her and how much pain she has suffered. The most impressive and horrible event to audiences is that when her little brother, Sammy, dies in school, teachers buries him and tell Johnny and her family that Sammy never exists. Though King tries to explain that he is not involved in any of those abuse, Johnny does not believe him, perhaps because of her mental problems. The play becomes uptight when Johnny suddenly takes out her handgun. She orders King to confess his crime, such as their horrible food, beating, and sexual assaults. King explains that he does do anything to her. He even tries to lie to her, so that he may be able to let her put down the gun. Johnny

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