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The Moccasin Maker cover

The Moccasin Maker

E.Pauline JohnsonDec 2015

3.9
Word count
66K words
Chapters
6
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Tags

Motivation and Growth Love EntanglementsTender SentimentShort StoriesTraditional AestheticsFolk CustomsCross-Cultural ViewFemale Perspective

Summary

Emily Pauline Johnson (Tekahionwake) (1861–1913) was a Canadian writer and performer, often remembered for her poems celebrating her Indigenous heritage. The Moccasin Maker (1913), a posthumous publication brought out together with The Shagganappi (1913), gathers selected stories she wrote for periodicals. Moving between sentimental, didactic, and biographical subjects, the collection shows the range of her talent beyond the poems for which she is chiefly remembered, offering readers tales that stir the feelings, teach a lesson, and record lives. It stands as a valuable sampling of a distinctive Canadian voice.

Editor's review

This posthumously published collection gathers Johnson's stories on a range of subjects, previously printed in periodicals: sentimental plots, didactic narratives, and biographical pieces. Its value lies not in intricate plotting but in showing how an Indigenous North American woman writer kept writing Indigenous experience and cross-cultural situations within the emotional and moral frameworks familiar to early twentieth-century English-language periodical readers. Many pieces carry the didacticism of their era and move slowly, but this is precisely what makes the book a key sample of early Indigenous-themed short fiction in English. Suitable for readers interested in Canadian literature, early Indigenous literary writing, or the history of women's writing, and for classroom close reading. There is no need to read it straight through; skipping by theme better reveals differences and commonalities.

Who it's for

A good fit for

  • Readers studying early Canadian and Indigenous literary writing
  • Literature enthusiasts interested in early twentieth-century women's periodical fiction
  • Teachers and students needing short texts for close reading and discussion
  • Those interested in sentimental and didactic narrative traditions

Not a good fit for

  • General fiction readers who prefer strong plots and fast pacing
  • Beginners seeking a systematic overview of Indigenous cultures
  • Readers sensitive to didactic narration and dated expressions

Reading tips

  1. Start with two or three pieces closest to biography and lived experience, build a feel for the voice, then read the more didactic ones.
  2. Skip by theme, set sentimental stories against biographical ones, and note differences in narrative voice.
  3. After each piece, jot down guesses about its periodical context, then check them against other pieces rather than judging by modern standards alone.

Contents

  1. Copyright
  2. INTRODUCTION
  3. PART I.
  4. PART II.
  5. PART III.
  6. PART IV.

FAQ

What does this book have to do with the author's poetic reputation?
Johnson is often remembered for poetry about Indigenous heritage. This is her posthumously published story collection, drawn from periodical fiction with sentimental, didactic, and biographical strains, filling in the narrative profile that poetry alone does not show.
The stories feel dated and preachy. Are they still worth reading?
Yes, but adjust your approach. Read them as period texts: watch how the author places Indigenous characters and cross-cultural situations within popular emotional and moral frameworks. That is more rewarding than following plot alone.
Is it suitable for course readings?
Yes. The pieces are short and varied, suited to group comparison and class discussion, especially for teaching the narrative conventions of early twentieth-century periodical fiction and the situation of women writers.

Comments

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About the author

E.Pauline Johnson Author · Canadian · 1861–1913

E. Pauline Johnson (1861–1913) was a Canadian Mohawk poet who toured giving recitations under the name Tekahionwake. Public information about her life is limited, and her body of work is small; among her writings, The Moccasin Maker is a representative title, often categorized as inspirational and personal growth writing. Her work is rooted in Mohawk experience and cultural memory, with plain language and the rhythm of oral recitation, drawing themes of resilience, self-reliance, and self-fulfillment from everyday circumstances. By reciting publicly as an Indigenous woman, she brought her voice to a wider audience of readers and listeners and left a notable record of early Canadian Indigenous literature; her writings remain valuable for later readers seeking to understand the lives and inner world of Mohawk women.

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