Literary Essay Example: Character Development in Green Grass, Running Water

Thomas King authored Green Grass, Running water in 1993. In the text, the author combined the skill of written tradition and oral tradition. Thomas used the different characters to depict the American and European cultures. As the novel advances, the characters are engaged in different activities that define their personality. The author set the characters to play various roles that define their development. The purpose of this essay is to explain how the personality of Lionel Red Dog has developed as time advances.

Lionel Red Dog is the main character in the Novel Green Grass Running Water. At the beginning novel, Lionel Red Dog appears to be an ambitious youth with promising future. There is evidence of aggressive behavior in the life of Lionel Red Dog. For example, Lionel red Dog engages in many misadventures activities that landed him in Jail. In the Novel, Lionel Red Dog joined Indian activist group an activity the landed in trouble.

Many activities characterize the life of Lionel Red Dog. For example, after he was jailed, Lionel Red Dog lost his job and it became difficult to get another job. It is apparent that the difficult situation hardened his personality. The conviction from the court made the life of Lionel Red Dog complicated because it affected the reputations negatively. Lionel Red Dog seems to understand his life as the novel advances. For example, he knew that after his release from jail, his reputation was tainted and therefore he had to look for ordinary jobs to sustain his life.

As the story advances, Lionel Red Dog got a job as storekeeper thing that depicts maturity in his life. Most readers face difficulty in understanding how Lionel Red Dog perceives life. It is apparent that Lionel Red Dog advances in both personality and age. As the novel advances, Lionel Red Dog is growing older and approaches forty years. For example, at the beginning of the novel Lionel Red Dog live in Blossom and worked in the same place as a salesperson. Though he worked as a salespersons, he appears to have big dreams of living a better life.

There is a big difference in the personality of Lionel Red Dog at the beginning and at the end of the Novel. Lionel appears mature at the end of the novel considering how he perceives work. For example, he worked as a storekeeper for twenty years despite the fact that his remunerations remained constant. Besides, at end of the novel, Lionel was forty years, which means he is becoming mature.

Lionel is looking forward to a long-term relationship with his lover. Lionel appears to mold the personality of Alberta with an aim of establishing a lasting relationship. In the workplace, and social life Lionel seems to understand the two contexts. In the workplace, Lionel is at peace with his employer and therefore worked for twenty years with one employer. In the contemporary society, it is apparent that most organization experience employee turnover. The youths, for example, shift from one job to another in such for better-paying jobs. However, the case of Lionel appears unique because he chose to remain in one job and establish a lasting relationship with his employer.

Lionel appears to understand how to deal with cases of love. In the process of courting Alberta, Lionel discovers that Charlie had similar interest. As a result, Lionel develops rivalry against Charlie and never reveal his intentions. Normally, the difference between adults and teenagers becomes clear in times of adversities. In this case, Lionel approached his Rivalry with Charlie with a lot maturity that shows growth.

At the beginning of the text, Lionel appears ill motivated in his first work. Initially, Lionel is not inspired to work in his first job but was very selective. However, after his aggressive behavior and his involvement in illegal activities, he was jailed. The life of Lionel after serving his term in penal institution appears reformed and mature. He began viewing work as mandatory and gave respect to his employers. The text reveals how Lionel was at peace with his employers and therefore worked for twenty years in the same institution. It appears that Lionel understands the importance of marriage and the continuity of the generation. For example, he began thinking of establishing a lasting relationship that was probably leading to marriage

In conclusion, Lionel Red Dog showed a gradual development in the text. The author used the character to play major roles in the text and to communicate his intentions to the reader. Lionel was a young man at the begging of the novel but towards the end of the novel, he is forty years and more mature. The life of Lionel is characterized by troubles because of his personality. He interacted with many activities thus his life appears to evolve. In the text, Lionel is imprisoned but after the release, is becomes reformed and perceive life in better way. He remained in one job for twenty years despite the constant salary.