When the tale of Makoons by (insert name) begins, the character Gichi Noodin, or Big Wind, is introduced as the only follower of Chief Little Shell that Makoons and Chickadee, our main characters and twins in the series, agree to dislike. Gichi Noodin is portrayed in the beginning as a very prideful boy, “always puffing out his chest and bragging of his exploits to anyone who would listen.” (Erdrich, 27) Gichi is prideful, selfish, and flashy, which is shown through a series of events in which Gichi Noodin loses control of his horse due to a lack of consideration of its needs, claims to have shot buffalo that he clearly did not shoot in order to obtain glory, and wears a flashy jacket with sleeve garters for which he is berated by the others of his tribe. When Gichi Noodin is met again, this time, he seeks the affection of a girl, Zozie, and has once again not changed his prideful ways. Through a series of events and some trickery on the part of Makoons, Gichi Noodin is convinced to relinquish a red sash that is of great importance to him so that Makoons and Chickadee may blindfold their buffalo during a buffalo hunt. In the first buffalo hunt in the book, Gichi Noodin nearly ruins the hunt by charging ahead of the group in order to kill the greatest number of buffalo. The second time, he accomplishes the same task, only to be thrown atop a buffalo after being brutally knocked from his horse, and fleeing back to his tent. This costs Gichi Noodin everything he owns, his dignity, and causes him to be banished. Then, as a result of his banishment, Gichi Noodin turns over a new leaf. He returns to the village with scars on his face with the tale of how he had single-handedly trekked through the snow in order to save Opichi when her parents had died. His journey to save her had humbled him greatly. Gichi Noodin evolved into a more respectable, humbler, kinder man than when he was first banished, much like the model of the Developing Child. -Stephanie Cregier
