Essay Questions

How does the author build the theme of family in Haunting by Stars?

The characters in the poem are young children drawn from different tribes, but they have a common goal. The children treat each other as family members, and their primary objective is to fight the government's oppression and its aim of eliminating the indigenous communities from the North. The children protect each other whenever attacked by government officials. The author shows that people can be a family when they share interests and common goals.

Why is the author depicting residential schools as evil?

The residential schools are an important symbol of evil in the novel. The school authorities work closely with government agencies to kidnap the indigenous children and hand them over to the government. The government harvests the bone marrow of indigenous children to use them for medical experiments. Consequently, the indigenous children hate going to residential schools because they have ill intentions.

What is the main paradox in Haunting by Stars?

One incredible thing is that the indigenous people from North America have a gift of dreaming. For instance, they can foretell the future and help the government prevent catastrophes and other possible disasters. In their dreams, the indigenous people can see what the future holds for America. Ironically, instead of the government protecting the indigenous people as a powerful resource, it kills them one by one to eliminate them from America.