The Legend of Magic

“The Legend of Magic” is an Inupiak short story, which mainly portrays the influence Christianity has had on the native tribes of Alaska. The success of the one hunter who calls on “whoever created all things on earth” over the numerous other hunters repeatedly relying on magic, shows the magnificent power of a higher being. Though this is the main theme of the story, there is an underlying theme of characterization taken on by the land. Throughout the story, the ice pan the hunters were lodged on served as a protagonist. First, the ice pan is used as a safe spot during the wind- storm the hunters find themselves facing, without which they may have drowned in the stormy waters. Later in the story when the hunters seem to be in an unknown land, the ice pan is said to move toward the land and stop moving when it reaches shallow water. This line depicts the ice pan as a conscious object having free will in which to make decisions. Therefore, once again the ice pan is a means of safety to the native hunters. The land most clearly emerges as a character with the last line of the story—when the boat was off the ice pan, the ice pan floated away with the wind. Once its duty was completed—to bring the hunters safely to their homeland—it realizes it is no longer needed and leaves to return to its uninterrupted state experienced before the hunters forced themselves into its life. This reminded me of the transformative economy view in which we see the land; we view the land as a resource, as property meant only to meet our needs and once we are finished with it, we have no interest; the land continually saves us yet we have no concern except for how it can further benefit us. This isn't to say the Inupiaks saw the land in this way, instead they lived off the land in a sustainable manner; maybe we should learn from people such as these.