Indian Burial Ground: Chapter 13 – Noemi’s Search for Answers

⚠️ Spoiler Warning: This guide contains detailed spoilers for the entire novel. Proceed only if you've finished reading or are comfortable knowing the plot.

Summary

Noemi sits at a bar, afraid to touch her phone. She has typed “native american suicide” into a search bar after overhearing Grace Hebert’s conversation with Mom. Finally forcing herself to tap “Go,” she reads several alarming headlines about high suicide rates among American Indian and Alaska Native people. Overwhelmed, she stumbles outside, where she borrows a cigarette from Germy (Jeremy) Forstall. She reads a JAMA Health Forum article by Joan Stephenson, PhD, which details increasing suicide rates, especially among those aged 25 to 44. Despite the statistics, Noemi refuses to believe Roddy fit that pattern. She lists his lack of relationship problems, recent losses, or substance abuse. She then regrets not going to him after work and wishes she could relive that afternoon.

Key Events

Noemi searches for “native american suicide” on her phone, dreading what she might find.
She reads multiple news headlines and then a detailed JAMA Health Forum article about rising suicide rates.
Overcome by anxiety, she leaves the bar and asks Germy for a cigarette, her first in over a year.
Noemi mentally defends Roddy, insisting he did not match the risk factors described in the article.
She checks for missed messages from Sara, then reflects on her regret for not being with Roddy earlier.

Character Development

Noemi reveals her deep denial and guilt. She is torn between confronting the statistical reality of Native suicide and protecting the memory of Roddy as someone who would not take his own life. Her search shows she is desperate for a different explanation, yet the article shakes her confidence. Her regret over waiting for Roddy instead of going to him suggests a growing sense of personal failure. This chapter deepens her grief and hints at unresolved trauma.

Themes, Symbols, or Motifs

Suicide and Mental Health in Indigenous Communities: The chapter directly confronts the high suicide rates among Native Americans, grounding the personal story in real-world data.
Denial as a Coping Mechanism: Noemi avoids accepting that Roddy might have been struggling; she clings to his perceived normalcy.
Regret and Hindsight: Noemi’s wish to redo the afternoon underscores the painful realization that small choices might have changed the outcome.
The Cigarette as a Symbol: Returning to a former habit (smoking) reflects her stress and regression under emotional pressure.

Why This Chapter Matters

This chapter shifts the mystery of Roddy’s death from a purely supernatural or criminal angle to a mental-health crisis context. It forces Noemi—and the reader—to consider that Roddy may have taken his own life, a possibility she fiercely rejects. The inclusion of factual research grounds the novel’s themes in contemporary Indigenous issues, adding depth to the exploration of loss and community trauma. Noemi’s regret sets up a turning point in her character arc as she begins to confront her own inaction.

Study Questions and Answers

1. Why does Noemi search for “native american suicide” on her phone?
She overheard Grace Hebert talking to Mom, which planted a disturbing idea in Noemi’s mind. Curious and anxious, she wants to see if the statistics align with what she fears about Roddy’s death.

2. What specific information does Noemi read in the JAMA Health Forum article?
The article, written by Joan Stephenson, PhD, reports that suicide rates among American Indian or Alaska Native people increased substantially from 2015 to 2020, with the highest percentage (47%) occurring in those aged 25 to 44 years.

3. How does Noemi rationalize that Roddy does not fit the suicide pattern?
She lists reasons: Roddy had no relationship problems, no recent loss of a loved one, and no substance abuse. She believes he did not suffer from the issues described in the article, so she concludes he could not have killed himself.