The Game of Silence

Omakayas is the central protagonist in The Game of Silence. She is a child of the Ojibwe tribe and has rare spiritual talents. Omakayas has vivid dreams that turn out to be premonitions, and she is also deeply knowledgeable about the various plants and roots that are used in Ojibwe medicine. Erdrich’s use of the third-person limited perspective focuses on Omakayas’s inner thoughts and burgeoning wisdom. When Omakayas is first introduced, she is characterized as liking “to arrange things in her mind” (ix) and to study her surroundings deeply. This introductory characterization emphasizes Omakayas’s contemplative nature, her capacity for intense focus, and her love for other people and animals.

Omakayas is very connected to her family. At her age, she wants to be accepted and respected by her elders. She cares about what elders like Old Tallow think of her, and this internal concern reflects the influence of the Ojibwe people’s communal culture. Omakayas begins her journey of self-discovery through her relationships with the adults in her family. Her grandmother in particular is an important influence, and Omakayas knows that “there [is] a special love between them. The love between Nokomis and Omakayas had to do with the things that Nokomis was teaching her every day about her plants and roots and medicines” (99).