Who was Louis Riel? Louis Riel was a Canadian, MĂ©tis man who fought for the rights of his people. He was a brave confident man who helped give the MĂ©tis people a voice. In this project, we were assigned to create a multi-paragraph response, about Louis Riel. We were to answer the question: How has the portrayal of Louis Riel changed over time? Throughout the past 3 weeks, we have learned about the heroic battles Louis Riel fought for the MĂ©tis people. We learned how his actions impacted many people, In many different ways. Those actions were perceived as heroic to some, but threatening to others. Louis Riel was a controversial man who was known as both a leader and a madman.
This is Louis Riel
As we change, so do our ideas, views, and perceptions of others. As individuals got to know the full story of Riel, perspectives changed. One who once thought he was a hero, may look back and think of him as a madman. What you believe, and the opinions you have, are largely based on your worldview. In the 1800’s, to a Métis person, he was a hero, a leader. In contrast, to the Canadian government, he was the enemy, a threat. Where you grow up, who you spend your time with, and your culture, are the fundamentals of who you are and what you believe.
Paragraph I wrote explaining how I thought Historica Canada portrayed Louis Riel
Over the past 3 weeks, I have analyzed a variety of Sources relating to Louis Riel. From statues to primary sources, I have gained a complete understanding of how others perceived him. The most interesting document to me were records from, St. Jean De Dieu, the mental hospital where Louis Riel was a patient at. Louis’s medical records, which included statements from his doctor, stated he was insane. He goes on to talk about how Riel was not in a good mental state. Most of the monuments and documents I analyzed were Riel being portrayed as a powerful leader and a hero. Including the statue made by Miguel Joyal, who recognized the greatness Louis Riel did for the province of Manitoba and our country. It’s important to see multiple views so everyone can get the full story. As a society, we cannot just look past all the bad things someone has done, just because they have achieved greatness. Even if we don’t like, or cannot agree with the things someone may have done, it’s our responsibility to acknowledge the cause and effect of these events.
This is a statue by Miguel Joyal, created in 1996
In this project, it was crucial and very obvious that we needed to learn about Louis Riel. But, we also had to learn how to write. This paragraph was different from the ones I have written in the past. It was straightforward. There was no opinion, there were just facts. I gave evidence to support what I was saying. We took the time in class, to practice finding synonyms and antonyms to get the perfect word while writing. I learned how to use specific words to elaborate on what I am saying. We dove into the proper structure of a paragraph. I learned how to properly show examples, and where to insert them in my writing. This project truly enhanced my writing. I now feel more confident and comfortable writing. To see the paragraph…
Although this project was to learn about the amazing things Louis Riel has done for Canada, I benefited more from the writing piece. What I learned while writing my 3 paragraphs will be more useful and beneficial than anything I could have learned about Louis Riel. Writing is in everything we do. We have to write all the time. Learning how to properly write a paragraph, and what should be included, will help me through all of my life. I will need these skills for the rest of high school, during university, and even when I have a job. It is so important to be able to translate your thoughts into words. After all, writing is how we communicate our ideas to the world.
Syddy Giddy out ✌️