Good Mother - Answers The story follows Lissa Yellow Bird, a Native woman on the Fort
Berthold Reservation in North Dakota, as she tries to help solve the disappearance of a young
man named Kristopher "KC" Clarke.
Colonial Trauma & Displacement - Answers Oil extraction on Native lands brings both
opportunity and exploitation.
Motherhood & Care - Answers Lissa is not KC's mother, but she assumes a maternal, justice-
seeking role.
Justice vs. Legal System - Answers Lissa often operates outside of the formal legal system,
revealing its failure to protect Indigenous lives.
Grief & Responsibility - Answers Her relentless search reflects her attempt to reclaim meaning
and restore dignity to the community.
Creative Nonfiction Techniques - Answers Murdoch uses dialogue, vivid scene-setting to tell
Lissa's story.
Judith Herman's Concept of Trauma Recovery - Answers Public recognition + community action
are necessary for healing.
Trauma Theory - Answers Healing requires recognition of harm + community action.
Historical Context of Native Children - Answers Native children were systematically abused in
residential schools.
Recent Apologies - Answers Recent apologies (e.g., Pope Francis) show delayed recognition of
this harm.
Lissa Yellow Bird - Answers Embodies the role of a justice-seeking caregiver.
Agents of Oppression - Answers Members of dominant groups who benefit from inequality.
Targets of Oppression - Answers Groups harmed by systemic inequality.
Ally - Answers A person actively working to dismantle oppression and educate themselves.
Privilege - Answers Unearned advantages for dominant identity groups (e.g., white, male, able-
bodied).
Oppression - Answers Prejudice + institutional power that marginalizes target groups.
Stereotypes/Prejudice - Answers False generalizations learned through culture.
Internalized Oppression - Answers When oppressed groups begin to believe stereotypes about