I want to continue a topic that we touched very lightly on in class. In fact, it was just a posed question but never actually was answered. It went something like this:
Does Ama act as a medium between the old world and the new one?
I think that she does act as a medium. The first hint of this possibility is when we hear the account of Ama's childhood illness. Let me recall quickly the events that happened.
During Ama's illness, she disappears from the civilized world to live with the elders of the Taiga Tribe. She learns medicine from these people and returns to the civilized world cured of her illness.
I believe this return to the civilized world happened because Ama was suppose to teach Omishto about nature while still being able to keep up with the changes of the world. If she had stayed with the elders, she would not have been able to survive the changes that were happening around her.
We also see Ama return to the civilized world during the storm.
She and Omishto run out in the storm to get hammer and nails to nail the shutters shut. Omishto notes that Ama is very good with tools.
This is one of the skills that Ama learned when she returned to the modern world after her illness. She had to acquire this skill in order to be able to suvive the storm. But further Ama's skill with tools of the modern world have allowed her to save parts of the Taiga world. With these skills, she is able to pass on her knowledge of both worlds to Omishto.
These are only two examples that only begin to skratch the surface of Ama as a Medium to both the Taigan Tribe and the modern world.
Does Ama act as a medium between the old world and the new one?
I think that she does act as a medium. The first hint of this possibility is when we hear the account of Ama's childhood illness. Let me recall quickly the events that happened.
During Ama's illness, she disappears from the civilized world to live with the elders of the Taiga Tribe. She learns medicine from these people and returns to the civilized world cured of her illness.
I believe this return to the civilized world happened because Ama was suppose to teach Omishto about nature while still being able to keep up with the changes of the world. If she had stayed with the elders, she would not have been able to survive the changes that were happening around her.
We also see Ama return to the civilized world during the storm.
She and Omishto run out in the storm to get hammer and nails to nail the shutters shut. Omishto notes that Ama is very good with tools.
This is one of the skills that Ama learned when she returned to the modern world after her illness. She had to acquire this skill in order to be able to suvive the storm. But further Ama's skill with tools of the modern world have allowed her to save parts of the Taiga world. With these skills, she is able to pass on her knowledge of both worlds to Omishto.
These are only two examples that only begin to skratch the surface of Ama as a Medium to both the Taigan Tribe and the modern world.
1 comment:
I also think the relationship between Ama and Omishto is important and necessary for Omishto. In the first four chapters the change of this character is almost immeasurable. Omishto is in touch with nature from the very beginning, but she seems to be more immersed and convinced by the knowledge she learns at school. Like you mentioned, Ama can be seen as medium between the two worlds by the impact she has on Omishto and her beliefs. They are constantly evolving throughout the book and Ama plays a central role in this development.
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