Healer of the Water Monster

The motif of communication supports the theme of Finding the Hero Within. At the start of the novel, Nathan avoids talking about his problems and grows frustrated when his father and grandmother try to discuss his emotions with him. Nathan becomes much more open to communication as he becomes aware of his heroic potential. Indeed, the boy is special precisely because he possesses the rare ability to speak with Holy Beings. When Darkness discovers that Nathan is filled with intelligence, compassion, and bravery, the boy’s reward is a communication stone forged from his own heroic heart. This stone develops the motif of communication by helping Nathan talk with and learn from the Holy Beings. Importantly, Nathan continues to master the water monster songs even when he temporarily loses his communication stone. This shows that the true power of communication lies in a sincere desire to understand rather than a magical object. Without the stone to translate for him, Nathan studies the songs in Navajo, and there is a direct correlation between Nathan’s confidence and his knowledge of his people’s language.

Throughout the novel, oral tradition is a particularly important form of communication. In the Prologue, Nali tells Nathan a portion of the Navajo creation story. The legendary figures in this tale, such as Mother Water Monster, later become part of Nathan’s heroic quest. Music is another form of oral tradition, and learning the water monster songs is an essential part of Nathan’s arc as a hero. The songs that Pond teaches Nathan hold the key to restoring life to the barren desert, and they protect the boy during his journey to the Third World. The motif of communication takes on additional significance when Darkness reveals to Nathan that Holy Beings depend on oral tradition to preserve their memories: “It has been the responsibility of beings of thought, your ancestors through to you, to remember the histories and share the stories out loud, so we, Holy Beings, are able to remember” (260). People’s preoccupation with modern conveniences distracts them from their history, causing the Holy Beings’ memories to fade. This stresses the motif’s importance and gives Nathan’s knowledge of traditional songs and stories even greater weight.

In both the plotline with his family and his supernatural adventures, Nathan uses communication to foster hope, understanding, and change at vital moments. When Uncle Jet expresses suicidal ideation, Nathan’s direct, compassionate words keep the man from surrendering to despair. Later in the story, Nathan’s father wants to bring him back to Phoenix. This time, the boy is open about his feelings, talks the situation out, and explains that he needs to stay because of his quest. When the hero faces the fearsome Mother Water Monster, he avoids a confrontation by singing the water monster songs and explaining his mission. After Pond’s death, Nathan sings the protection song with the men at Uncle Jet’s ceremony, and the music helps him feel whole again. This is important because the hero’s work is not over yet. At the end of the novel, Nathan keeps oral tradition and hope alive by passing the songs on to Pond’s little sister. The motif of communication illustrates Nathan’s growth and develops one of the novel’s major themes.