Son of a Trickster

Trickster stories, author Eden Robinson explains, are meant to highlight Wee’git as “the bad example, the example of what not to do,” so that humans learn a lesson (Warren, Jennifer. “Why It Took Eden Robinson Eight Years to Write Canada Reads Finalist Son of a Trickster.” CBCnews, 18 Mar. 2020). What lessons does Jared learn over the course of the school year? Do other characters learn any valuable lessons, too?

The novel has elements of a coming of age story, though Jared often exhibits a sense of maturity and responsibility beyond his 16 years. In what ways is he already an adult, and in what ways is he still a child? What are the positive and negative consequences of him having to grow up too quickly?

How does the truth of Jared’s conception and the role of Wee’git in Maggie’s life complicate Maggie and Phil’s characters? In what ways does Wee’git’s character, and the story as a whole, complicate or subvert traditional family roles?

Sarah and Jared have distinctly different personalities but are nevertheless drawn to each other. What similarities do they share? What do they offer one another?

Until he finally reaches out to Nana Sophia and his mother, Jared is certain his visions, dreams, and bizarre conversations are simply drug-induced hallucinations. In what ways are mental health and drug use discussed in the novel, and how do they affect the plausibility of the story’s moments of magical realism? Does Jared’s alcoholism affect his reliability as a narrator?

Discuss the symbolism of the various animals in the novel. How do the animals affect your understanding of the moments in which they appear?

Jared frequently experiences violence—physical, verbal, and emotional—at the hands of those closest to him. How does this internalized violence complicate his understanding of love and affection?

Maggie assumed that Jared did not inherit any magical powers since he had never exhibited any until he started seeing spirits. Wee’git confirms, though, that Jared’s first act of magic was the night Jared traveled into the spirit realm after David abused him. What effect does Robinson create by linking characters’ trauma with their supernatural abilities?