The Ancient Child: Analysis of Major Characters
"The Ancient Child" explores the transformative journeys of its major characters, particularly focusing on Set, a Kiowa artist grappling with his identity and heritage. Orphaned at a young age and later adopted, Set's life in San Francisco as a successful painter is disrupted by a mysterious telegram that leads him to the funeral of a relative he never knew, Kope'mah. This visit to the Oklahoma reservation marks the beginning of Set's psychological decline, catalyzed by the powerful medicine bundle given to him by Grey, a young Navajo/Kiowa woman who becomes a pivotal figure in his life. Grey, who evolves from a girl with vivid fantasies into a powerful medicine woman, plays a crucial role in Set's healing journey, ultimately guiding him toward his destiny as a shaman.
Kope'mah, Grey's grandmother and a revered medicine woman, initiates the spiritual connection between Set and Grey, emphasizing themes of legacy and transformation. Lola, Set's former lover, represents the emotional ties that complicate Set's struggle with his mental health. The narrative also touches on the influence of cultural history and mythology, as illustrated by Grey's fixation on the legendary figure of Billy the Kid, further enriching the characters' quest for identity. Together, these characters navigate themes of healing, cultural heritage, and personal metamorphosis, making "The Ancient Child" a profound exploration of self-discovery and interconnected destinies.
The Ancient Child: Analysis of Major Characters
Author: N. Scott Momaday
First published: 1989
Genre: Novel
Locale: An Indian reservation in Oklahoma and San Francisco, California
Plot: Mythic
Time: Late 1980's
Locke “Set” Setman, a forty-four-year-old artist of Kiowa descent. Orphaned when he is seven years old, he is sent to a Catholic boarding school and is subsequently adopted. As an adult, he is a successful painter, living a sophisticated life in San Francisco. He receives an enigmatic telegram summoning him to the funeral of Kope'mah, an Indian relative he never met. Intrigued, he travels to the Oklahoma reservation where she lived. While he is there, Grey gives him a bundle that contains the powerful bear medicine. Set politely accepts it, not realizing that from it emanates a magic power that will transform him, body and soul. When he returns to the city, his life gradually falls apart. Although he continues to paint, the tone of his paintings changes. Originally valued for their vivid color, his paintings take on a darker aspect that reveals his growing inner turmoil. Set tries to hide his despair by carrying on as if his life is unchanged. He travels to Paris to exhibit his work but is suddenly called back home because of the death of his adoptive father. His father's death and his growing obsession with the medicine bundle lead to Set's further psychological deterioration, and he finally experiences a complete breakdown. He is found in his paint-stained studio, sitting in front of the open medicine bundle. After being committed to a psychiatric hospital for several weeks, he is released. Lola drives him to Oklahoma and places him in Grey's care. Grey takes charge of his healing and drives him to Lukachukai, a Navaho reservation and her childhood home. Surrounded by Grey's family, he continues his recovery and begins to paint again. He and Grey marry, and they soon expect their first child. Before their baby is born, Set undertakes a vision quest on which he fulfills his destiny as a shaman and is transformed into the Bear.
Grey, a nineteen-year-old Navajo/Kiowa girl who becomes a powerful medicine woman. Grey is a natural visionary who possesses a rich imagination. The focus of her fantasies is Billy the Kid; she imagines herself to be his lover. She is also the disciple of her grandmother, Kope'mah, from whom she learns that Set will become the Bear. Grey is the one who sends Set the telegram summoning him to the reservation after Kope'mah's death, thus setting into motion the events instigating Set's transformation. After Grey gives Set the medicine bundle, she begins a transformation from a girl to a medicine woman. She gradually gives up her vivid fantasies about Billy the Kid and becomes immersed in preparations for her new calling. Her growing powers alert her to the time when Set will again enter her life. Finally, when Lola brings Set to the reservation, Grey is ready to take on her role as Set's healer and wife.
Kope'mah, a powerful medicine woman and Grey's grandmother. More than one hundred years old, Kope'mah lies dying and is attended by Grey. She bequeaths her power to Grey and tells her about Set's destiny as the Bear. Even after her death, Kope'mah's spirit directs Grey and teaches her.
Lola Bourne, a divorcée, consultant, and musician. A knowledgeable student of art, she meets Set at one of his exhibits. They are lovers for four years, but as Set's mental state deteriorates, their relationship does as well. Still in love with him, Lola is grief-stricken when she witnesses the change in his personality. She realizes that she must let him go and drives him to the reservation to place him in Grey's care.
Bent Sandridge, a philosopher and retired academic who adopts Set and provides him with a loving, stable, and stimulating environment in which to grow.
Alais Sancerre, owner of a Parisian art gallery where Set exhibits his paintings. She points out to him that the theme of transformation is prevalent in his work. It is an important observation and foreshadows his ultimate transformation into the Bear.
Billy the Kid, whose real name is Henry McCarty, the notorious outlaw who is the subject of Grey's fantasies. She finds compelling his love for adventure as well as his wild and violent, yet ironically gentlemanly, nature.