Fatty Legs: A True Story

Margaret-Olemaun talks about “the outsiders” throughout the book. Who exactly are the outsiders? How do the outsiders reveal their unfamiliarity with the traditional ways of life in Indigenous homelands? (Hint: Think about what they wear, eat, and prioritize in society.)

The title of the book and central anecdote within the book center on the bright red stockings that the Raven made Margaret-Olemaun wear. We know that Margaret-Olemaun was embarrassed to wear the stockings, but what might the stocking symbolize? Are they just ugly stockings, or are they emblematic of larger struggles?

Many of the book’s central figures and the moral of the story are expressed in bird imagery. The main nuns are the Raven and the Swan, the Brothers are the owls, and Margaret-Olemaun herself is the wren: “A wren can be just as clever as a raven,” she says (74). How does the avian imagery impact the narrative? Think about target audience and modes of storytelling. How effective is this narrative style?

Margaret-Olemaun repeatedly reads and love the famous book Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll. The book briefly discusses the major plot points of Carroll’s story and mentions some of the important characters, like Alice and the Queen of Hearts. How does Margaret-Olemaun’s experience mirror Alice’s? How does it differ?

When Margaret-Olemaun finally leaves school, she says, “I was out on the open water, where I belonged” (79). The concept of belonging is important in the book. What provides a sense of belonging for Margaret-Olemaun? Are these things entirely place-based? People-based? 

At the end of the narrative, Margaret-Olemaun reveals that she returned to school after vowing to never do so. Why does she decide to return? What does her decision reveal about her personality? What does it reveal about her family? What might it reveal about her culture?

Do you think that Margaret-Olemaun receives an education at the school in Aklavik? What are the most important things she learns at school (whether they are related to the school’s curriculum or not)?

What do former residential school students provide for their communities in the 21st century? Why do some former students refuse to talk about their experiences at school? Use the “Notes” chapters before and after the narrative to construct your answer.