Kill Hole Summary
Jamake Highwater

Everything you need to understand or teach Kill Hole by Jamake Highwater.

  • Kill Hole Summary & Study Guide

Kill Hole Summary

A recurring theme of Highwater's is that of the outsider in the mainstream society. In the past novels of the "Ghost Horse Cycle," the outsider has been the Native American who is forced to live in a world dominated by the white man. With Kill Hole, the outsider is expanded to include the unconventional artist and the homosexual, both of whom exist beyond the "norms" created by the dominant society.

Highwater also looks at the role that myths play in the world. He contends that, in the past, the family, or tribal myth served as an anchor for people.

Furthermore, myths were created to tell people who they are, where they came from, what their responsibilities are in the world, why there is evil, and how to deal with the evil. However, modern man has rationalized the myths out of existence and has left nothing in its place...

(read more from the Short Guide)