Introduction
If asked about what a butterfly effect in short is, the first response would be that everything that happened in the past affects the present and the future. Although not literally, the novel “Shell Shaker” by LeAnne Howe approaches this concept in the same manner, showing that in addition to the present being influenced by the past, history occasionally tends to repeat itself. This paper is a response to the aforementioned novel in an attempt to analyze the themes that the novel covered through the story of two murders separated by two hundred years.
Analysis
The first thing that the novel attracts when presenting the story is the fluidity of transition between various times. This fluidity forces the reader to make his own conclusions throughout the book trying to foresee the connection that could reveal the mysteries of the two murders. The style of the novel adds a sense of mystery to the story, which, combined with the representation of the various rituals and the extensive usage of the native language, makes the reading process more like a journey in the history of Choctaw.
Although the novel can not be considered feminine, the story is told about powerful women. Women who can sacrifice themselves, women who can influence history, and women who are destined to solve the mystery of murder are such women in the novel.
The novel approaches many themes of importance, such as the value of history and one’s roots, destiny, greed, and its consequences, and the power of the family ties. One theme that could be considered as the most prevailing in the novel is the theme of the past that can not be left behind.
The two major time intervals of the novel, although separated by two hundred years, the events of the past continue to influence the future in a way that the reader already knows that the key to the mystery in the present time lies somewhere in the history of the protagonists’ ancestors and their actions.
As the heroes of the novel were aware of their history and the influence and the significance of history, the reader shares this awareness and at moments comes to the conclusion that the link with the past can not be destroyed even with the flow of time.
Another important theme in the novel that is related to the events that are happening in America today is the point that can be sensed in the book about the importance of choosing the leader, as most of the systematical misfortunes of the Choctaw are because of their leaders that were selected by consensus at the first place.
The novel is interesting in the way that it brought the reader closer to a culture that, aside from the people who study Native American history, is somewhat unknown. The dramatic manner that the author brought this culture made the process of acquaintance joyful as it was filled with mystery, suspense, and drama.
In general, this journey to the past is a sign that despite that the tendencies of the modern world loosen the ties of family and own history, people will always be connected with that invisible link that can be considered forgotten, and one day it will definitely remind the people that they are little parts that similarly will become someone’s history.