Chanie Wenjack is an Indigenous boy, who died one week after his escapade from a residential school due to exposure and hanger. This occasion is prominent, as it has become the symbol of resistance to the challenging circumstance and the power of colonization in Canada. Gord Downie has contributed to spreading this story, writing about it in the Secret Path project (Gord Downie on Chanie Wenjack para. 2). The story presents a graphic novel and animated film with bright pictures and impressive music. All thus, this writing presents a matter of particular interest from the literature perspective.
The graphic has contributed to capturing the attention of viewers significantly and keeps them focused throughout the narration. Although it is not true-to-life, it precisely conveys the feelings of the boy, which is seen in Picture 1. In addition, its feature implies an emotional connection, established by the music. Some questions are also raised during conversations between characters and combined with the music, it conveys the purposes of the story. This way, applying different options of codes and convections applied in the text appears to be beneficial for a proper understanding of the narration and its sense. Moreover, they are extremely effective in drawing the audience to the topic.
The aspect, which is also worth highlighting, is the fact that the medium has the capability to shape the message. Chanie Wenjack’s story was broadcasted comprehensively, which has made it well-known for a significant number of people. Therefore, the message can be completed by the medium, and in some cases, this aspect obtains even more influence. The power of the medium regards a deep understanding of the concept and meaning expressed in the writing. It is especially helpful for spreading some hot-button issues, which are reported in works of literature, and drawing attention to them. This way, literature may incur the positive influence of the medium, especially in case it is presented in an engaging way.
Work Cited
“Gord Downie on Chanie Wenjack: ‘His story is Canada’s story.” The Canadian Press, 2016, Web.
“Gord Downie – The Secret Path [Official Film Trailer].” YouTube, uploaded by Arts & Crafts, 2016, Web.