Medicine River

One can never know when the wind will blow; it could be a gentle
breeze from the north or a monstrous gust from the south. The wind can be
refreshing on a hot summer day or it can make a cool winter day frigid. The wind
has many aspects to it, just as Harlen Bigbear does in the book in Medicine
River. Harlen comes and goes with the wind throughout most of Will’s days. When
he is not around, he is not too far away; usually ready to push Will in the
direction that he thinks is best. Like the wind, Harlen often swirls around a
point or a suggestion until the time is right and Will, “ [he] generally tried
to keep [his] mouth shut about the wind (…..).”(King pg. 1)

Harlen was as unpredictable as the “(…) prairie wind”. (King pg.1), people
did not know what to expect from day to day. The author captures this aspect in
first meeting between Harlen and Will following Will’s mother’s funeral.
Harlen’s words push Will in the direction of Medicine River ...