Examination of how John has Directly and Indirectly Positively Influenced other Characters in the Novel Anonymous 11th Grade

Tricksters are a common staple in Indigenous lore, appearing as various animals, such as coyotes and ravens. They teach how to treat others and general mistakes to avoid. The book Motorcycles and Sweetgrass by Drew Hayden Taylor follows an Indigenous trickster, Nanabush, as he disrupts small-town life when he sticks around after visiting a dying friend. In the novel, John, more commonly known as Nanabush, causes chaos, some intentional some not, as he tries to fulfill the promise he made to his deceased friend while having some fun along the way. Although it may not have been John’s intention, it is an undeniable fact that he has changed the lives of many other characters in the novel in a positive way; he helped Maggie take control of her life and move on from her husband, helped Wayne realize his loneliness and reconnect with his family, and got Virgil to reconnect with the world around him.

At the beginning of the novel Maggie is stuck, she is in a deep rut, unhappy and unable to move on from the death of her husband. John gets Maggie out of her rut and helps her take back control of her life. Maggie’s husband’s death was hard for her, notably she says, “I’m doing what I can, okay? Ever since Clifford died..” (Taylor 51)....