The Rifles

About “The Rifles”

The Rifles is a novel by William T. Vollmann that is the sixth in a seven-part series exploring the conflict between Native Americans and European colonizers. It combines a historical account of Sir John Franklin's failed Arctic expedition with a contemporary story about the Inuit people. The novel spans 150 years, beginning with Franklin's 19th-century journey to find the Northwest Passage and moving to the 1990s, where Inuit families face hardship after being relocated by the government. A young Inuk woman, Reepah, becomes pregnant after being seduced by a white man. Vollmann also includes his own experiences, particularly a dangerous solo trip to the North Magnetic Pole, to connect the past and present. The novel is known for its bold style and realistic portrayal of historical and modern struggles.