I Can Make This Promise

At a Fourth of July celebration, Edie meets a stray dog. She notes that “his fur is mangy, but he looks happy” (8). She worries that he is separated from his family and wants to help him get home. Her parents pull her away, worried that the dog will hurt her. Although she never sees the dog in person again, Edie cannot stop thinking about him. She starts drawing pictures of him and names him Bruno. She decides that she wants to use him as the main character in her short film.

Bruno symbolizes Edie and her journey, reflecting themes of adoption and cultural disconnection. At the novel’s start, Edie feels lost. She does not have a strong understanding of what it means to be Indigenous and feels—not always consciously—as though she has lost her family. Her instinct to help Bruno get home echoes her drive to learn more about herself. When Edie’s parents stop her from helping the dog, their behavior upsets her. She sees their refusal as an extension of their willingness to lie about the family’s history. However, Edie’s parents view keeping her away from the dog as a way to keep her safe. Likewise, they choose to keep some information about her family secret so that Edie does not get hurt.