The Education of Augie Merasty: A Residential School Memoir, written by Joseph Auguste Merasty with David Carpenter, is a real-life story about the life of Joseph Auguste Merasty, fondly called “Augie.” The book is divided into three sections: an introduction where David Carpenter lays out the backdrop of who Augie is and his encounters with him (in essence, this section speaks about Augie and his life outside the Residential School System), the main chapters, and the postscript.
As the title suggests, the chapters of this short book—only 73 pages, not accounting for the introduction or postscript—are dedicated towards Augie’s time at St. Therese Residential School in Sturgeon Landing, Saskatchewan. It is here where we are exposed to the life that Augie lived. As many people know, the Canadian residential school system resulted in many children experiencing the highest forms of trauma, and this book gives us a first-hand account of the abuse that was faced by these children. From describing the beatings Augie received at the hand of three nuns to the sexual assault he faced at the hand of brother Lepeigne to describing the revenge plan he and his friends executed on a hated teacher, each and every detail makes you feel as though you are with Augie, experiencing everything that he is experiencing.
The primary reason why this book works and is a great read, is because of its appeal to human emotions. Augie’s account of his life wakes you right up and makes you think of your problems and makes them look miniscule in comparison. It also exposes its readers to kindness and empathy, as evidenced by Augie’s intention to write about the “good people” that he encountered at St. Therese. We can also see empathy when Augie describes the guilt that one of the female teachers feels after she tries to sexually assault him.
Another reason why this book is worth reading is because it allows the reader to see the effects of the abuse that Augie went through as a child in his adult days. This comparison is not explicitly made by David Carpenter, but is implicit in the accounts of meeting and dealing with Augie in the introduction of the book. Although these accounts are not part of the meat of the book, if you have read the introduction, you are able to easily make the connection and see the impact of Augie’s childhood on his adult life. Seeing the effects of Augie’s childhood abuse on his adulthood is the most powerful part of this book. The reader is exposed to the harsh reality of what Indigenous Canadians are currently facing and some of the reasons behind their current circumstances. It forces us to revaluate the stereotypes that we have of Indigenous Canadians and understand where they are coming from and what they are going through—and it forces us to develop empathy for them. This is the reason why I recommend this book!
One of my complaints from the book is the structuring. The empathic connection I mentioned above will likely only be made if one reads the introduction. Since the introduction pages are in roman numerals, there is an implication that those pages are optional to read. However, if you don’t read the introduction pages, you lose out on making this connection!
In addition to the structuring of the book, we are told in the introduction that Augie often provided different accounts of similar situations. We are also told that Augie suffered from alcohol abuse. This makes one question of the validity of the text, in that, to what extent are Augie’s tales authentic? David does no specific research, nor does he try to reach out to people that Augie mentions in his manuscript to see if Augie was being completely honest. This oversight by David Carpenter, a University Professor, is something that can affect the validity of Augie’s memoir. It is important to know that since none of these claims are substantiated by any evidence, one may not accept them at face value.
The postscript of this book speaks of the success and awards the book has received as well as gives us an insight on Augie’s current life. As with many books, it ends with telling us that Augie has changed his life and has become the man he imagined he would become.
Overall, I recommend this book for two reasons: this book will provide you with insight on the residential school system and its effects on the adult life of Indigenous Canadians, it will also give you perspective on your own life and allow you to better understand the gravity of your problems.
4/5
