Green Grass, Running Water

Part A: Allusions

The predominant pop culture allusion in Green Grass, Running Water is John Wayne. Although the movie star reference is effective in relating to readers, its main purpose is to serve as a direct contrast to Lionel Red Dog. While John Wayne is courageous and self-assured, Lionel is timid and struggles to pursue opportunities outside of his mundane existence. As Lionel gradually begins to change his life for the better, he justifies his decision to walk rather than drive by claiming that this is "what John Wayne would do." (243) It is no surprise that Lionel vows to display traits of his hero, and begins to stand up for himself while gaining confidence in his own abilities and worth.

The crux of the novel's plot is that the American Indians are inclined to escape the hospital when they anticipate the arrival of disaster. The lazy Dr. Hovaugh, who is unconcerned by the patients' escape, eventually comes to the realization that the escapees are committed to fixing the world. King inserts pop cultural references, such as Wall Street, to provide the readers with an opportune comparison to the real world to properly convey the broad scope of disaster the four individuals hope to prevent.

In Green Grass, Running Water, the American Indians change their names to Hawkeye (Leatherstocking Tales), Lone Ranger (television character), Robinson Crusoe (title character in Defoe masterpiece), and Ishmael (narrator of Moby Dick). King chooses to alter these names to match the time period, and he seems to be poking fun at modern obsession with pop culture, which greatly adds to his biting, satirical style.

One of the major biblical allusions in the latter half of the novel is the Archangel Gabriel. King showcases his command of humour by introducing A.A. Gabriel (Heavenly Host) to persuade Thought Woman to verify her virginity and to have a baby, as if she is Mary, mother of Jesus. Though the encounter between Thought Woman and A.A. Gabriel is hilariously tense, King devalues the importance of the biblical figure and uses the situation to display his usual condescension towards traditional Christian beliefs.

In Part Four, Old Woman's biblical experience is related to Jesus. In yet another comedic scene, the flustered yet pompous "Young Man Walking on Water" feels obliged to rescue a group of terrified men trapped in an unstable boat in rough waves. The composed Old Woman sings the men a tune and ultimately eases the conditions. However, Jesus mocks the men for believing that a woman could save them and persuades the delusional individuals to worship and follow him. Again, King refuses to spare any biblical figures from ridicule, and the allusion manages to be controversial and thought provoking.

Part B: Character Passages

"'EARTHQUAKE, EARTHQUAKE!' yells Coyote. 'Hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee-hee.'" (411)

Coyote's trick causes a devastating earthquake, which causes wide-reaching damage and kills Eli. This passage shows his extreme lack of consideration for humanity and his desire to play tricks regardless of the consequences.

"But he'd tell Alberta about his plans today, make sure she understood that he could make decisions." (242)

This brief statement gives the reader an impression of many of Lionel Red Dog's personal characteristics: his respect for women and his struggles with insecurity and indecisiveness. By all means, Lionel would be considered an excellent boyfriend and is extraordinarily respectful towards Alberta despite her inability to return his ardour. However, while engaged in a competition for Alberta's heart, he constantly worries about what she thinks of him, and attempts to impress her on several occasions. While Lionel would consider the three unfortunate events as contributors to his lack of success, his indecisiveness renders him stuck in a dead-end job selling televisions.

"Eli had to admit that after all the years of arguments and threats and injunctions, he had won very little... the sluice gates would open, the turbines would begin to turn, and Eli and the house would be washed out onto the prairies. But not now. Not tomorrow." (260)

This scene shows Eli Stand Alone's courage in the face of adversity. The dimwitted Clifford Sifton (appropriately named after the immigration enthusiast interior minister) visits Eli each day to encourage him to vacate his home so the government can construct a dam. Eli refuses, as he is willing to sacrifice his own life to maintain Native traditions. Ultimately, he passes away during the earthquake, but his relatives and colleagues notice that the water returned to its original path.