Racism can negatively impact the perspective of one’s life, due to the discrimination that is used against individuals. In Richard Wagamese’s Indian Horse, the protagonist Saul Indian Horse experiences love for hockey, but eventually endures racial issues in which he vacillates between playing and quitting. Initially hockey gives Saul a sense of freedom and self-esteem which motivates him to seek a career in hockey, however, due to the racism he faces while playing causes him to give up his love for the game.

Saul’s love for freedom and his self-esteem while playing hockey motivates him to seek a career in hockey in the future. First of all, hockey gives Saul a sense of freedom that he never experienced. When the Moose are in Espanola and …show more content…
First of all, Saul is forced to stop playing for the White Rivers due to the fact that he is an Indian. When Saul plays for the White Rivers, Father Leboutilier tells Saul, “I know, but there is no game for you. They don’t want you to play anymore, Saul.” ‘It’s because I’m Indian, isn’t it?’.‘Yes.’” (91). As the racial discrimination towards Saul becomes evident in the beginning of the book, many people discriminate Saul by not letting him play for the team. This affects Saul as he too can tell that he cannot play the game he loves due to his race. Second of all, Sauls culture is misinterpreted for his skill for hockey. When Saul is playing for the NHL, he says to the Marlies coach, “I’m Indian. That’s all they see.” (166). Saul knows that many people only see him as an Indian who survives residential school and this leads him to give up hockey due to the fact that people see him through his culture, and not his skills. Saul knows he is being racially discriminated, which foreshadows that he will eventually feel distressed due to hatred and will quit playing. Third of all, Saul later realizes that he will never be accepted. When the Moose are in Chapleau, and are peed on by the white people, Saul says, “‘They hate us because we’re skins.’. All the hurt. All the shame. All the rage. The white people thought it was their game. They thought it was their world.” (136). At a young age, Saul is led to believe that hockey is not meant for Indians, and is only played by the white community which leads him to quit hockey due to the fact that he knows that people will never accept him for his race. Therefore, the racism that Saul has to face causes him to give up his love for