Blind Your Ponies

Content Warning: This section of the guide describes and discusses the source text’s treatment of abuse.

The Crow legend is a motif that supports The Impact of Past Traumas on Present Endeavors. When Sam moves to Montana and hears about the Crow warriors who blinded their ponies and rode them off a cliff, he feels awed by their bravery in joining their loved ones in death. Sam sees this legend as a complete expression of grief because it mirrors how he feels after losing Amy. Sam’s grief over Amy’s death threatens to overwhelm him, and he does not know how he can go on living without her unless he has a constant distraction, such as coaching basketball. However, Sam reinterprets the legend by the end of the novel to signify his growth and healing. Rather than seeing the legend as a metaphor for grief, Sam learns to reframe it as a description of taking a leap of faith in the hopes that something new and exciting will happen. Sam tells the legend to the team so that they will believe in themselves and know that if they trust in themselves, they can win the championship.