In her work, Dreamspeaker, Anne Cameron writes the story, set in British Columbia in 1976, of a young boy named Peter, who escapes from an institution for problem kids and delinquents. Peter goes on a wild adventure and ends up befriending two Native men and together they create an unbreakable bond of spiritual magic and, above all, friendship. Cameron uses symbols to emphasize the book's central theme of freedom and oppression. Throughout the book, spiritual symbols emerge that illustrate the theme of freedom, such as the Sisiutl, the Stlalacum and the magic bag. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay The first symbol spoken of follows Peter from the beginning of the book; he is only given a name when he meets the Old Man, who we later learn is the Dreamspeaker. The Sisiutl is an ancient Nootka legend about a monstrous serpent-like being that preys on those unfortunate enough to cross its path. In this novel, the Sisiutl plays an important role as it is the embodiment of Peter's fears and hunts him throughout his life. Because of this, Peter became a slave to Sisiutl and, therefore, a slave to fear itself. The Sisiutl symbolizes and embodies the fear that follows Peter throughout his life. This fear corrupted Peter as he is always afraid of himself and his surroundings; he never feels safe. This can be considered an act of oppression against Peter because the Sisiutl causes him severe mental distress and pressure. However, on the other hand, it can be seen as an act of freedom. Eventually, Peter confronts the Sisiutl and causes it to “shrink in on itself.” Although unfortunately, Sisiutl's relief from fear did not last long because, unfortunately, to be truly free, Peter had to commit suicide and die to escape the fear caused by his past. A second symbol that plays an important role in the book is the Stlalacum. In contradiction to the Sisiutl, the Stlalacum is the symbol of truth and goodness. In the novel, the Stlalacum takes the form of dancing balls of light, almost like fireflies. These lights often throughout the story warn Peter that Sisiutl is near and coming for Peter. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The central theme of freedom in this book is personified by the Stlalacum and its symbolism of truth. In the end, the truth is what ultimately frees Peter from Sisiutl. Over the course of the novel, Peter learns that to be free he must face the truth; the Stlalacum helped him do this, “they came to visit him, reminding him that all the truth you need is right behind your eyes”.”.