“When they lay gasping on the grass, it was ourselves we saw fighting for air. We were Indian kids and all we had was the smell of those fish on our hands. We fell asleep that night with our noses pressed to our hands and as the days went by and the smell of those suckers faded, there wasn’t a one of us that didn’t cry for the loss of the life we’d known before. When the dozen of us cried in the chapel, the nuns smiled, believing it was the promise of their god that touched us. But we all walked out of there with our hands to our faces. Breathing in. Breathing in.” (Page 34)

This quote reflects the deep loss and separation that Saul and the other Indigenous children at St. Jerome's Indian Residential School felt, making it the finest representation of Part 1 of "Indian Horse". In the harsh setting of the residential school, their ties to their traditional way of life diminishing and the scent of fish represents this. The children's battle to breathe is a reflection of their battle to preserve their individuality and soul. The nuns perceive their sobbing as a holy awakening, but it actually represents their profound regret over the life they have lost.

 “I sat with the Father’s hand on my back, listening to the excited chatter of the team as they recreated the game. The game loves you, he’d said, and right there, right then, I loved it back.” (Page 47) 

I think this quote  demonstrates how hockey can change a person's life, represents the finest of Part 2. It gives him a unique feeling of approval and love as well as a necessary emotional release. Saul finds comfort and a brief escape from the sadness  he experiences through the game. This deep love for hockey serves as a special place of his identity and strength.

 "It will be tough, Saul," Fred Kelly said. "A working life is made easier by a home. People. Noise. Distraction. They fill you when you're tired and depleted." (Page 177) 

The quote from "Indian Horse"  Part 3 is significant because it captures the value of connections and support systems in overcoming obstacles in life. Saul is getting ready for adulthood and the challenges he will encounter while pursuing his hockey career thanks to Fred Kelly. Fred is underlining the critical role that a caring environment has in developing emotional and mental resilience by stressing the need of a house full of people, noise, and distractions.

 “I discovered that being someone you are not is often easier than living with the person you are.” (page 180)

This quote is meaningful in Part 4 of "Indian Horse" because it captures the profound internal struggle Saul experiences as he navigates his identity and the trauma of his past. Throughout his journey, Saul grapples with the pain and scars left by the residential school system and the pervasive racism he faces as an Indigenous hockey player.