Reimagining Time and Narrative: Indigenous Temporalities and Social Critique in Rebecca Roanhorse’s Trail of Lightning

Abstract

This paper explores how Rebecca Roanhorse’s Trail of Lightning reimagines time from an Indigenous perspective, offering a counter-narrative to the linear, clock-driven concept of time prevalent in Western thought. Through a close analysis of the novel mentioned above, the study examines Roanhorse’s integration of cyclical time, mainly through narrative techniques like flashbacks, oral storytelling, and depictions of deep time. These elements disrupt conventional linear storytelling and emphasise the interconnectedness of time, history, and the environment as seen from an Indigenous worldview.
Moreover, the paper discusses how these Indigenous temporalities intersect with crucial themes in the novel, such as colonialism and environmental degradation. This intersection provides a nuanced perspective on the dystopian realities Roanhorse portrays, encouraging readers to question and rethink the dominant temporal frameworks that often contribute to environmental and social crises. By challenging these frameworks, Trail of Lightning invites us to consider a more holistic and sustainable approach to time—one that acknowledges the continuous flow of stories and events that shape our past, present, and future. In terms of methodology, the paper draws on insights from Indigenous studies scholars, including Kyle Whyte, and research from the environmental humanities to frame its analysis.