# The Wit of Porportuk explained — Lost Face > Chapter companion for Lost Face by Jack London. ## What happens El-Soo, a spirited Mission-educated Indian woman, returns to her father Klakee-Nah's lavish household after her mother's death. She manages his affairs and hospitality, funded by loans from the wealthy Porportuk. After Klakee-Nah dies at a feast, Porportuk claims El-Soo as payment. She escapes to Akoon, her true love, but is captured. In a tribal council, Porportuk initially wins ownership but then, in a surprising twist, shoots El-Soo's ankles to cripple her and gives her to Akoon, ensuring she can never run away again. ## Themes in this chapter ### Colonialism and Cultural Clash El-Soo's education at the Mission and her return to her father's traditional lifestyle highlight the tension between Western religious values and Indigenous customs. ### Loyalty and Betrayal El-Soo's loyalty to Akoon contrasts with Porportuk's possessive claim, and the council's judgment betrays her autonomy. ### Human Dignity and Suffering Porportuk's act of shooting El-Soo's ankles to prevent her escape is a brutal violation of her dignity and body. ## Character check-ins ### El-Soo A full-blooded Indian woman raised at Holy Cross Mission, intelligent and spirited, who returns to her father's house and later becomes the object of Porportuk's claim. ### Klakee-Nah El-Soo's father, a chief known for lavish hospitality, who dies at a feast after borrowing heavily from Porportuk. ### Old Porportuk A wealthy Indian who lends money to Klakee-Nah and later claims El-Soo as payment, but ultimately cripples her and gives her to Akoon. ### Akoon A young hunter and traveler who loves El-Soo, is captured by Porportuk's men, and ultimately receives her as a gift after Porportuk shoots her ankles. ### Sister Alberta The nun who rescued El-Soo as a child and brought her to Holy Cross Mission. ## Key lines > El-Soo was a full-blooded Indian, yet she exceeded all the half-breed and quarter-breed girls. Never had the good sisters dealt with a girl so adaptable and at the same time so spirited. El-Soo, though a full-blooded Indian, surpassed mixed-race girls in ability and was the most adaptable and spirited student the nuns had ever taught. _Highlights El-Soo's exceptional nature and the Mission's perspective on her._ > Porportuk continued grudgingly to advance money, and ever the money flowed in golden foam away. Porportuk reluctantly kept lending money, which was quickly spent on lavish hospitality. _Illustrates Porportuk's role as financier and the wasteful spending of Klakee-Nah's household._ > When a dog runs once away from a master, it will run away again. No matter how many times it is brought back, each time it will run away again. When we have such dogs, we sell them. El-Soo is like a dog that runs away. I will sell her. Porportuk compares El-Soo to a runaway dog, arguing that she will always flee, so he decides to sell her rather than keep her. _Reveals Porportuk's dehumanizing view of El-Soo and his pragmatic decision._ ## Links - HTML: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lost_face_se/chapters/the-wit-of-porportuk - Book: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lost_face_se - All chapters: https://www.betterreads.online/discover/lost_face_se/chapters