Many Native American people looked at Turtle’s back as a sort of calendar, with its pattern of 13 large scales standing for the 13 moons in each year. As children they are taught to examine the segments on the back of every turtle.By counting the smaller segments around the lower edge of the shell, you will find there are 28, which represents the 28 days between new moons.
Th title of the books has to do with the native american culture in the story. While some Indian tribes defined a year as twelve moons, others assigned it 13. Most tribes would name each moon something different based on its appearance and the time of year.
Here below I've listed a few songs that reminded me of some way of the book. This song, The wolves, is like Will's story throughout the book. It represents not only his trials and challenges through his journey but his relationship with Claire, the girl he loved. this songs reminds me that Will's journey revolves around where his home is and how to find it. Also, to keep fighting for it.
In Thirteen moons the main character, Will Cooper, is said to be bookish and especially likes to read the works of Virgil. This characteristic is deliberately written this way. There is a significant parallel between Will's quest and the story of the Aeneid.
12-year-old Will, about to embark for the Cherokee country, is shown sitting under an apple tree reading Virgil. Like the hero of the “Aeneid,” he grows up to witness the slaughter and exile of his people, and to lead a remnant of them out of the flames into safety. Like Aeneas, too. Charles Frazier not only used this parallel of characters in this book but also in his other book Cold Mountain. My parents and I decided that since I was reading this book it would be cool to go and see where it is set. here are a few pictures I took when we were in the smoky mountains.
As i took these pictures I kept in mind this quote from the book: “If you are in the mountains alone for some time, many days at minimum, & it helps if you are fasting. The forest grows tired of its weariness towards you; it resumes its inner life and allows you to see it. Near dusk the faces in tree bark cease hiding, and stare out at you. The welcoming ones and also the malevolent, open in their curiosity. In your camp at night you are able to pick out a distinct word now and then from the muddled voices in creek water, sometimes an entire sentence of deep import. The ghosts of animals reveal themselves to you without prejudice to your humanity. You see them receding before you as you walk the trail their shapes beautiful and sad.” ― Charles Frazier |