Thomas King's Green Grass Running Water is about the construction of a dam on native land and the battle that natives face in their daily lives. Throughout the novel, the story and what happens in the real world are paralleled, and then departs from the devastating reality to show the freedom of the native peoples without the intercession of the government. The dam symbolizes government and, through its construction, represents what is done to Native people by taking their land through the Native Relocation Act and North American Indian Removal. Dr. Joseph Hovaugh symbolizes stereotypical white culture and their goal of assimilating Natives. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The novel and real life differ in the end with the dam destroyed and the native population able to return to their lives without interruption from the government; this parallels real life, where the government continues to take native lands and relocate them. The dam is used as a symbol of the government and white culture seeking to control the natives, as well as take their traditional land. The dam is used as a symbol to represent Native people being displaced by the government, as well as what is happening in the real world through the use of the Native Relocation Act and North American Indian Removal. The parallels between reality and the novel become more apparent through the use of propaganda, the Duplessis Company hires a public relations firm and hires a local lawyer to convince the natives that the dam will benefit them too; “a public campaign to convince the Indians that the dam was in their interest.” The use of these lines shows the lengths to which the government, as well as large corporations, are willing to go to deceive natives into believing that this is in their best interest. No careful planning was taken when the location of the dam was chosen; “Environmental concerns have been put aside. Questions about possible fault lines that lay beneath the dam were dismissed. Native land claims that had been in the courts for over fifty years were set aside.” King used this passage to demonstrate how all other ethical and safety issues were put aside because the government took the land from the tribe for free. The similarities to real-world actions are most clearly shown through the unlimited promises made to the Blackfeet Tribe; “After just one year of the dam being fully operational, the tribe would earn more than two million dollars. White farmers and white businesses would also profit, but the article admitted that, but the big winners would be the Indians.” King uses this statement to blur the line between reality and fiction by showing the promises made to the natives and how they will benefit from them, but in reality the natives are losing land and only the government benefits. The location of the dam under construction, as well as the propaganda and promises made, show the moderation of the natives by the North American government. Dr. Joseph Hovaugh represents white culture, as well as the attempted assimilation of native culture, through his criticism and attempt to capture the four old Indians. Every time the four old Indians ran away, a traumatic event occurred that would affect the rest of the world; “Mount St. Helens. They disappeared on May 15, 1980 and on the 18th Saint Helens exploded. … Makes you wonder where they were in August 1883 … “Karaktu,” said Dr. Hovaugh. “The twenty-seventh of August 1883”. King uses these lines to show how white culture;.