Mosquitos

The mosquito is a parasite and represents the way that the European settlers are taking advantage of the land, and literally leeching off of what is not rightfully theirs. In Part I . forêt, hache, famille (1693-1716), Chapter 1 - 7, René Sel, who is in the forests of the New World for the first time, makes a note of the density of mosquitos.

Later in the text, in Part VII. broken sticks (1825-1840), Chapter 49 - 53, Jinot, René's descendent also makes a note of the mosquitos that surround him. Though Jinot is a Native American who considers the forest a part of his heritage, the fact that the mosquitos attack him represents how Native ways have been corrupted and confused to such an extent that even Jinot does not have the same balanced relationship with nature as his Native ancestors.

Charley's Notebooks

Charley's notebooks represent the difficulty...