Native American:
Michael Dorris
Sees Behind Trees
The Window
Asian American
Hispanic American
Native American
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Characters
Formerly called Walnut, Sees Behind Trees has just become a man. He has bad sight, but he has a special way to see his environment in his head. This is how he got his name. He always feels alone because of his vision problem. He does not want to shame his family.
Gray Fire received his name because he moves as quietly as smoke, or "gray fire." He is the weroance's (Otter's) twin. Otter lured Gray Fire to the Land of Water, but he had to leave because he had such great love for his sister and he did not want to leave her alone. Part of him stayed in the Land of Water throughout his life. He used to have great running skills.
Otter is Gray Fire's twin. She is a great hunter and serves as the tribe's weroance. She felt that her brother abandoned her when he obtained his running skills.
Vocabulary
Weroance: The most important person of the village; the expert on hunting
Summary
Walnut is a boy in a Native American tribe. He has really bad vision, so he is not able to shoot arrows as well as the other boys. He learns to "see" with his ears. At the coming of age ceremony this gift gives him the grown-up name Sees Behind Trees. He goes on a journey through the woods with Gray Fire, who wants to find the Land of Water which he found when he was little. It was beautiful. Sees Behind Trees starts to get a bit cocky because of his ability, so Gray Fire tells him a story of when he was a boy. Gray Fire used to be the fastest runner in the tribe. He and his sister, Otter, were exploring. Gray Fire found the Land of Water and was lured into the water where he got his foot stuck between rocks. He heard his sister calling and he was forced to cut off two of his toes. He now limps. On their journey, they meet up with two strangers with a baby. They later find the Land of Water. Sees Behind Trees gets separated from Gray Fire and cannot find him. He makes his way home. He finds the campsite where the strangers were and it has been burned down. He finds the baby and brings it back with him to his tribe. Gray Fire is not back, but Sees Behind Trees talks with Otter. She tells him her side of the story of what happened the night Gray Fire lost his toes. She had lured him into the Land of Water and set up a trap so he would get stuck. She wanted to rescue him. Gray Fire never returns to the tribe, but Otter and Sees Behind Trees eventually go back and visit the Land of Water.
General Critique
This very simple story is chronological with occasional flashbacks. The plot begins with Walnut's parents finding out that he cannot see, and his mother teaches him to "see" with his ideas and his mind. The rising action occurs when Gray Fire asks Sees Behind Trees to take him the to Land of Water. On the way, the meet the strangers. The climax occurs when they find the Land of Water and Sees Behind Trees leaves Gray Fire behind. Later, Sees Behind Trees makes his way home and finds the baby along the way. The resolution happens when Sees Behind Trees finally comes home. His parents adopt the baby. In this story, there are a few unexpected surprises, such as when Otter tells her story at the end of the book.
Style/Literary Technique
The story is chronological, and is written simply because it is a children's story. There are very cryptic descriptions in the book, and it can become difficult to understand, even though it is a children's book.
Symbols
1. The Land of Water symbolizes a place where dreams come true. Gray Fire can run in the Land of Water, and Sees Behind Trees can see.
2. The quest to find the Land of Water symbolizes the quest for perfection and wholeness. Many people go on such a "quest" in their own lives to fulfill their need of "wholeness."
3. The stone man symbolizes wholeness. The stone man in the Land of Water is complete with ten toes. It may symbolize that Gray Fire is once again complete in the Land of Water.
4. The baby symbolizes the bond between different cultures. The villagers in Sees Behind Trees' village create a bond with "outside strangers" by raising the baby that was born in a different land.
Themes
1. Don't become too focused on one ability and overestimate yourself.
2. Overcoming problems is an integral part of life.
3. It is important to let go of the past.
4. Making a weakness a strength is an important skill or virtue to have.
Thought Questions
1. When Sees Behind Trees is with Gray Fire in the Land of Water, do you think he can really see clearly, or was it just another level of his ability to sense his environment?
2. What do you think became of Gray Fire at the end of the story?
3. Why do you think the Land of Water is so important to Gray Fire?
4. What purpose does the introduction of Karna, Pitew, and Checha serve in the story?
5. Do you sometimes become too focused on one of your abilities and/or one of your disabilities? Explain.
6. The weroance says she knew that Gray Fire would not return from the Land of Water. Why do you think she let him go on his trip?
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