Themes of Death and Community in "How I Became a Ghost"

"Soon the pain was gone. I closed my eyes. My body shivered and floated in a warm cloud. when I opened them, I was surrounded by so many Choctaws. every Choctaw I had ever known who had died. They were all there.

The men and women sang the Choctaw friendship song, a song to welcome me. Young Choctaws waved at me. Each one held something, a blowgun, a boat paddle, a stickball bat, a cane fishing pole.

They wanted me to know that we were still Choctaws, always Choctaws, and that games and hunting and fishing still happen, even in the world of Choctaw ghosts.

I felt no ground beneath my feet. I felt lighter than air. I took a step to join the young ones." (Tingle, 86)

I chose this passage as a representation of the whole novel because it so succinctly encompasses the main themes of the novel, specifically the relationships between death and acceptance, and between community and belonging.

The death connection is a rather obvious one, since this is the passage that finally fulfills the prophecy of Isaac's death that we have been anticipating since we read the title of the novel. Before this, Isaac has struggled with the acceptance of his own mortality, constantly contemplating what it is that will turn him into a ghost. And his death is not peaceful, in fact he is brutally attacked and killed by a wolf, feeling "sharp cutting pain" and seeing his own blood stain the wolf's teeth. And yet, although Isaac is only ten years old, with the help of the ghosts of his ancestors bringing him safely and lovingly into the afterlife, he comes to accept his fate as a ghost and takes "a step to join the young ones." (86) Additionally, this passage helps the audience process the pain and fear that they had been feeling about Isaac's death and having this passage of calm, soothing passage on after a bloody accident helps the audience to see death more like the Choctaws do in a slightly more nuanced and reverent light.

Community is also a prominent theme of the novel as the Choctaws are being persecuted just for being themselves and must work together to stay alive and preserve their culture. The fact that young Isaac is welcomed by every deceased Choctaw that he has ever known and they are singing and welcoming instead of haunting, as you would expect for people who have been murdered and neglected along the Trail of Tears. This passage, along with all of Isaac's previous encounters with the Choctaw ghosts solidifies the idea that the bonds between the Choctaw people are stronger than any obstacle that tries to separate them by death or distance or suffering.

This passage, as well as being a important turning point in the novel, is a phenomenal representation of the novel's overall messages of the spirituality of death and the strength of community. In this passage, Isaac finally faces his mortality and accepts that this was always the end, the audience gets a glimpse of an alternative view of death, as a continuation and rite of passage as opposed to the abrupt, dismal end of a life. It also highlights the eternality of Choctaw belief and culture even in the midst of brutal persecution and suffering at the hands of the elements and the Nahullos.