Summary Of Patti Laboucane's The Outside Circle

Aboriginal people are struggling to improve their lives while re-discovering their traditional values after years of oppression. In the graphic novel, The Outside Circle, author Patti Laboucane-Benson grapples with the ramifications of government abuses. Laboucane-Benson craftsmanship paints the picture of racial inferiority among First Nations through the residential school trauma, causing readers to ponder the difficult questions of race. Readers observe the novel through Pete’s eyes and follow along on his journey of an identity crisis and self-discovery. The powerful and deeply moving graphic novel reflects the widespread reality regarding manifestation of urban poverty for the First Nations culture through the representation of the injustices

depicted by Pete’s tattoo and the relativity of the Indian Act to the theme of the novel.
The symbolization of Pete’s tattoo plays an integral role in the underlying message of the The Outside Circle. The image of the tattoo articulates blood snaking down Pete’s arm. A close up panel reveals it is punctured with white letters spelling out the earmarks of the aboriginal trauma. Events such as the 1867 Indian Act and the ‘60’s Scoop, during which federal government dismantled residential schools only to transfer the students to non-aboriginal homes. The painful subject and imagery represents all of the injustices and the adaptation of abusive behaviours from those both directly and indirectly affected by residential schools. The events on Pete’s arm exemplify the cycle of abuse and trauma from one generation to the next and how he cannot escape past experiences because the tattoo is ingrained in his skin Patti Laboucane-Benson technique of including such a thought provoking image without any text allows the audience to formulate their own thoughts and opinions on the image. Such artist choice might lead to Patti Laboucane message being misinterpreted by the reader. The tattooed picture is of deep significance to the message of the novel.
The Indian Act of 1867 has many connections to The Outside Circle.

The Indian Act existed as an effort to break down traditional indigenous ways and replace those ways with the European culture. The Act gave the government the domination and power to assimilate First Nations peoples through the means of residential schools. The horrific reality of the Indian Act was extended far beyond the residential school system. From social perspectives, many First Nations cultural practices and ceremonies were banned and deemed illegal. Aboriginal people were denied basic human rights and were unable to defend themselves. Sequentially, many turned to an escape route of crime to let out anger. Drug, alcohol and physical abuse were a few to name. The Indian Act is complementary to both the plotline and characters because they deal with the same struggles as many modern day First Nations people. Since Pete had an unstable childhood due to poor parental relationships he turned to activities that allowed him to experience liberation such as the unsolicited use of drugs and gang activity.The hardship Pete and his family faced lead him to his unwise choices. Laboucane Benson alludes to the historic event through portraying the modern day existential crisis caused by oppression and her take on the issue. The advantage of using modern day to reflect upon the Indian Act is that is it can show the everlasting effects of the situation and the influence it still has on many First Nations lives, 150

years later. Juxtaposing the advantage the disadvantage to a modern day portrayal is that the magnitude of the Indian Act might not be accurately expressed in a historical sense. The Outside Circle is a largely metaphorical picture of the Indian Act and the audience does not receive any direct information referring to the Indian Act. Through analyzing and understanding Pete’s behaviour one can come to terms with the fact that the Indian Act had a profoundly negative impact on First Nations people.
The Outside Circle reflects upon oppressive situations experienced by First Nations detailed through a captivating tattooed image outlining misfortunes that erupted from the residential school trauma and the relevancy of the Indian Act to those events. Through Patti Laboucane-Benson’s intent of building an understanding of First Nations oppression one can walk away with a deeper perspective on racial inferiority among aboriginal people. The well thought out feature of the tattoo image contributes to how the events are interwoven to the Indian Act. Pete aids the audience in thinking from someone else’s shoes which Laboucane executed in a successful manner. The Outside Circle shows the struggle First Nations have faced and still face for many years to come,