Fools Crow Analysis

“The Contested Plains: Indians, Goldseekers, and the Rush to Colorado” Written by Elliott West. I chose to write about this book because of the large range of events and transitions that occurred throughout the American West that the author includes in the text. Elliot West highlights the struggles that many endured while trying to create better circumstances for not only themselves but also their families by moving to the west. He chronicles the adaptations that many white settlers arriving in the west faced in order to be able to make a living for themselves. But another reason why I found the book interesting was because of the way Elliot West provided perspective for each side of the struggle over the American West. He gives us the

The man represents the fraction of society that doesn't respect nature. He doesn't understand the power of nature because he is oblivious to it. On the other hand the dog was "told a truer tale than that was told to the man by the man's judgement." The man "did not know cold. Possibly all the generations of his ancestry had been ignorant of cold, of real cold." "The was no keen intimacy between the dog and the man." The man and the dog are together because the man needs the dog, and the dog has no choice. They have no emotional connection between them because the dog is used as a slave. In one part of the story the man uses the dog to test the trail and make sure that it is safe. The dog has more inherent knowledge about the area, all of his "ancestry knew" about the cold and the dangers of extreme cold. He also had a warm "natural covering" to keep him safe from the weather. The man was not used to the cold. He "was without imagination. He was quick and alert to the things of life, but only the things, and not the significances." He also was stubborn for his neglect to take advice.

Frontiersmen have existed throughout America’s history. According to Turner’s hypothesis, they push forwards for civilization and have shaped America. The stories All the Pretty Horses, The Gift of Cochise, and The Martian are all works of frontier literature. Each in their own way show frontiersmen during different times in America’s history with characters that interact with their respective frontiers in different ways. Through these three books one can see how the core interactions between frontiersmen and the frontiers call out the qualities of frontiersmen stated in Turner’s frontier hypothesis.

In the novel, Hondo Lane is the typical good guy of the Old West. He is reserved and slow to anger but deadly when challenged. He’s fast with firearms, knives, and his fists. He is always searching for something new and is realistic with women, children, and animals. The author describes his body working like "one beautifully oiled and coordinated machine." However on the inside, he is eager to settle down, even though he would like to in his own manly way. Hondo Lane is a man's man. He's a loner who's never alone, because he is at one with the land of the old west. He travels with a dog that is as independent as he is, and which displays the same level of reserve, because that is what the mythical West was all about—space enough to be your own man (or dog) if you were autonomous enough to survive out there. One key innovation is Hondo's experiences between the white and Apache worlds. Having lived with Indians, Hondo uses their methods to survive and values their ability to live in harmony with the demands of the harsh Arizona desert. However, Hondo never walks out on his own people and even serves in the

Fools Crow by James Welch is a historical novel that takes place in the late 1860s. The novel illustrates the life of Blackfeet Indians through the perspective of the protagonist, White Man’s Dog, and secondary characters such as Yellow Kidney and Fast horse as they embark on a journey to prove their manhood. The novel focuses on the physical and mental transition of White Man’s Dog to Fools Crow. The start of the transition begins with White Man’s Dog joining Yellow Kidney to raid the Crows of their horses. During the first chapters, he is depicted as weak and unwanted by women in the village. He states that he needs to retrieve the horses and defeat the Crows to gain respect and wealth among the natives. White Man’s Dog begins to feel guilty

The book Neither Wolf nor Dog, written by Kent Nerburn is an attempt at bringing American Indians and non-Indians together. The point the author makes in the introduction, is that even though we are all different, we share a common place of residence, and that is mother earth. There are vast amounts of history regarding America and the land, but everyone’s past is “intertwined,” and we cannot deny this. This book is to connect the lives of very different people, instead of continuing the division we see in the country today. There are many important issues pointed out throughout the entirety of the book. The terms white supremacy, racism, and symbolic violence, are all pointed out as you read the story. Using these ideas and terms, a larger issue can be brought up, and that is that Native Americans were put into the shadows, and the country slowly became what it is now, filled with racism and white power. Other terms that arise throughout the reading are discrimination, skin-color privilege, and the 1887 Dawes Act. Together, the use of these terms shows the reader the adversity that Native Americans face and the importance of preserving cultures. Neither Wolf nor Dog is a powerful book that shows the unknown life of American Indians, and rids the myths and stereotypes, while pointing out important issues in America today.

2. The narrator describes the story as a “Coyote story” that “smells bad” and “bites your toes”. The Coyote is found in certain aboriginal legends, symbolizing traits of ingenuity, transformation, playfulness, but also represents negative attributes such as greed, recklessness, and impulsiveness. In this story, Coyote’s negative attributes are emphasized and in his greed and ignorance, could not see past propaganda spread by the Whitemen that employed Coyote. The story “smells bad” because the narrator is uncomfortable at the treatment of the enemy aliens because it is similar to how the Whitemen had discriminated against natives. This is evident when the narrator says “they look like you and me”, suggesting that their likeness comes from how alien they look to the Whitemen. Coyote brushes off the narrator’s

Many facts throughout the duration of this book support the theory of White Dog’s existence. At the beginning of the book no one but Sam can see White Dog; however, as the book

The novel, Fools Crow, was written by James Welch as a Native American narrative set in 1870.  It followed the evolution of White Man’s Dog, later known as Fools Crow, an adolescent Pikunis Blackfeet Indian from the band Lone Eaters, who yearned to become wealthy and honored. An opportunity to attain the respect he desired emerged when Fast Horse and Yellow Kidney invited him along to a horse raid against the Crow despite his reputation for misfortune. While on their journey to Crow camp, Fast Horse disclosed a dream where Cold Maker instructed him to clear their water source and bring him two bull robes for his daughters in exchange for a successful invasion. White Man’s Dog also had a recurring dream of women sleeping in a lodge, who awoke with lust in their eyes, but it ended as he moved toward them. He was uncertain of the meaning though he “knew that there was danger in that direction” (pg. 18), and he chose to withhold its possible significance from his fellow warriors. White Man’s Dog was chosen to lead the capturing of horses, and kills a Crow guard who detected the warriors.

“Indians are like the weather.” With his opening words Vine Deloria Jr. sets up the basis for the rest of his witty yet substantial manifesto, Custer Died for Your Sins. The book, which describes the struggles and misrepresentation of the American Indian people in 1960s American culture, is written in a style that changes from ironic and humorous satire to serious notions, then back again. Through energetic dialogue that engages the reader in a clever and articulate presentation, Deloria advocates the dismissal of old stereotypes and shows a viewpoint that allows the general public to gain a deeper understanding of what it is to be an American Indian.

Throughout human existence, mankind has had to overcome difficult obstacles in order to prosper. In Diane Glancy’s “Pushing the Bear”, the reader discovers how the Cherokee Indians overcome their hardships and flourish into a new, thriving community. In this novel, the audience observe how these Cherokee Indians outlast the harsh environment during the Indian Removal Act. Additionally, Glancy creates a human experience during the Trail of Tears; giving a different perspective of various characters. Through the eyes of characters such as Maritole and Knobowtee, the reader is able to sense the desperation that the Cherokee endured. The upheaval of being forcefully removed from the land stripped the Cherokee of their identity. This disruption left the Cherokee confused, causing frustration to arise because they were unable to live their familiar roles. Men were no longer able to farm. Women had a loss of property and wealth. The bear symbolizes these struggles throughout this novel. Maritole explains, “The bear had once been a person. But he was not conscious of the consciousness he was given. His darkness was greed and self-centeredness. It was part of myself, too. It was part of the human being” (183). In other words, the “bear” is the personal dilemma each character is put up against during this removal. Furthermore, each character has their own personal struggles to overcome; whether that be Knobowtee’s loss of masculinity or Maritole’s loss of family. These struggles,

His first wife, Double Strike Woman, is the mother of his two sons, called White Man’s Dog/Fools Crow and Running Fisher. Rides-at-the-door also is married to Striped Face and Kills-Close-to-the-Lake, and each wife lives in a separate lodge or home. The children are primarily raised by their mother at a young age, learn about waging war and hunting as they get older. The oldest son, called White Man’s Dog or Fools Crow, is not viewed very favorably as a child, he is teased, considered weak, and not a future leader. Rides-at-the-door heard these comments about White Man’s Dog and did not take his oldest son seriously and considered him weak, until he becomes a man and his father’s opinion begins to change. Rides-at-the-door feared that his oldest son might be morose, even timid, and he had heard talk that he might be a coward. The following quote represents the first time Rides-at-the-door recognizes his son has potential to be a brave hunter, warrior, and leader of the Pikuni. “Rides-at-the-door pulled a burning stick from the fire and lit his pipe, his eyes shifted back to White Man’s Dog, who was telling a story about Napi, Old Man. As he watched his son act out the story, he felt a small seed of optimism grow in his chest” (9; ch. 2). Through the first eighteen years of his life, White Man’s Dog is given little respect from his family or people, and

Indian Horse, a novel by Richard Wagamese, is a realistic and tragic story of a First Nations child named Saul who is taken to residential school. Saul Indian Horse goes through a multitude traumatic experiences at a young age; experiences consisting of losing his family, experiencing sexual abuse, and violent racism. In the novel, a theme the reader is always brought back to is Saul’s connection to, and longing for the land. Saul’s relationship with the land is meaningful to his character because it helps him understand his family history, connects him with his culture, and comforts him in times of need.

The book “Lakota Woman,” is an autobiography that depicts Mary Crow Dog and Indians’ Lives. Because I only had a limited knowledge on Indians, the book was full of surprising incidents. Moreover, she starts out her story by describing how her Indian friends died in miserable and unjustifiable ways. After reading first few pages, I was able to tell that Indians were mistreated in the same manners as African-Americans by whites. The only facts that make it look worse are, Indians got their land stolen and prejudice and inequality for them still exists.

Perpetuation of Native American Stereotypes in Children's Literature Caution should be used when selecting books including Native Americans, due to the lasting images that books and pictures provide to children. This paper will examine the portrayal of Native Americans in children's literature. I will discuss specific stereotypes that are present and should be avoided, as well as positive examples. I will also highlight evaluative criteria that will be useful in selecting appropriate materials for children and provide examples of good and bad books. Children will read many books as they grow up.