The Joy Of Reading And Writing : Superman And Me

Ethos, or argument by character is prevalent in this essay because of Sherman Alexie’s extreme credibility. Considering this essay is pieced together by different anecdotes, the author becomes more and more trustworthy as the story progresses. Sherman speaks of growing up on the Spokane Indian Reservation in eastern

Popular culture has shaped our understanding and perception of Native American culture. From Disney to literature has given the picture of the “blood thirsty savage” of the beginning colonialism in the new world to the “Noble Savage,” a trait painted by non-native the West (Landsman and Lewis 184) and this has influenced many non native perceptions. What many outsiders do not see is the struggle Native American have on day to day bases. Each generation of Native American is on a struggle to keep their traditions alive, but to function in school and ultimately graduate.

Superman and Me showed Sherman Alexie's willingness to learn. He “...learned to read with a Superman comic book” (Alexie 1). The picture acted as the dialogue

From its birth, America was a place of inequality and privilege. Since Columbus 's arrival and up until present day, Native American tribes have been victim of white men 's persecution and tyranny. This was first expressed in the 1800’s, when Native Americans were driven off their land and forced to embark on the Trail of Tears, and again during the Western American- Indian War where white Americans massacred millions of Native Americans in hatred. Today, much of the Indian Territory that was once a refuge for Native Americans has since been taken over by white men, and the major tribes that once called these reservations home are all but gone. These events show the discrimination and oppression the Native Americans faced. They were, and continue to be, pushed onto reservations,

It's very often that the public has the impression that Native American cultures were inflexible, unchanging societies, with little or variation through the centuries. This is the central theme of this chapter I believe because throughout my days on this earth I have heard plenty of puts on the Native community. I believe the author was trying to address people with negative views on the Native community and open their eyes to the beauty, land, social classes, and development of the Native culture and this book counter acts the misconception of society. Throughout these chapters the dynamic culture of the Northwest Coast people are revealed. With a history that has many twist and turns just like in other civilization these 1400 miles called

W.E.B Du Bois once stated “to be a poor man is hard, but to be a poor race in a land of dollars is the very bottom of hardships” (qtd. in Rodgers 1). The Native American culture is often overlooked by many people in the United States today. What many people do not realize is that about twenty-five percent of Native Americans are living in poverty (Rodgers 1). A majority of the poverty among Native Americans is due to the United States breaking treaties that promised funds for their tribes. When non-Native Americans first began migrating to North America, the Indians were slowly having their land stripped away from them, and being pushed to live on small, poorly kept reservations. As well as taking

Our nation’s history has been deep rooted in the conflict involving Native Americans, ever since the beginning of America and it is one hard to get rid of even as the days go by. The impact of colonialism can be seen in Native American communities even today, and it can only be understood through a cultural perspective once you experience it. Aaron Huey, who is a photographer, went to Pine Ridge reservation and it led him to document the poverty and issues that the Sioux Indians go through as a result of the United States government’s long term actions and policies against them. One must question all sources regarding these topics because there is a lot of biased and misinformation about Native American struggles, and sometimes schools do not thoroughly teach the truth so students can get an insight. There are also different sociological perspectives in this conflict, along with many differing opinions on how to approach the problem and deal with it. This is where ideas clash because people believe their views are right regarding how to handle it.

Native American families were frequently placed in little, ruined reservations, endorsed to give up their childhood to receive inadequate schooling, a constant threat of kidnapping, and even removing entire families off their land where they have called home for hundreds of years prior. Louise’s father and mother both worked at Indian boarding schools, giving the reader the sense that she really was passionate about her writing of this poem in more ways than one. She truly gives the underlying insight to the boarding schools and the treatment of her people’s way of life, which was a systematic and legal genocide

This essay will explore the cultural values of three different cultures; Navajo, Laguna, and Euro-American culture. Two of the cultures that I will be exploring are the Native communities that I have been well exposed to since I was a child. The values that I will be discussing are gender, education, and money. Growing up on a reservation in New Mexico, I have a closer insight on the similarities and differences of those values.

An Indian Reservation is a legal territory managed by a certain Native American tribe given to them, with only partial sovereignty, by the United States government. Only 326 of the country’s 567 recognized tribes were granted land, but even the land they were granted is not sufficient enough to support a sustainable lifestyle. With no rights to their land, no sense of home, and a rapidly dying culture, native americans have been dealt with in the worst ways possible after their own massacre and consistently broken treaties. An analysis of the Indian reservation system in the US provides deeper insight to the idea that the treatment of natives has left profound, long-lasting negative impacts on the lives of native Americans.

"Education is what remains after one has forgotten what one has learned in school"-Albert Einstein. Most people think of education as only a thing that exists in school such as reading, writing, math and history. One can get an education through life experiences by watching the successful and unsuccessful people in their life, this would teach them what should or should not be done to become successful themselves. Education acquired through life experiences is more beneficial than education acquired in school.

The Sioux Nation is still around today, and they are still faced with similar challenges in life due to the lack of help from the government on the reservations. Ninety-seven percent of the population lives far below the U.S. federal poverty line with a median household income ranging between $2,600 and $3,500 per year. In the book Saga of the Sioux, the author discusses the different conflicts and themes the Native Americans dealt with over the years because of the westward expansion.

What made me research more about the Native Americans living conditions on the reservations, and on the history of the first generations living in them, was that I did not know much of it as well. Reading, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian by Sherman Alexie, influenced me to do research on some of the matters that are presented in the book. Alexie was raised on the Spokane Reservation in the state of Washington, with a family of five siblings and two alcoholic parents. He also described his life at the reservation school as challenging, because his teachers were not passionate about providing quality education. In his book, the protagonist illustrates what the author went through, and dealt with, in his life, like alcoholism, depression, poverty, and a lack of education.

Joe Sacco and Chris Hedges investigate the injustices the Native Americans are going through. These citizens, as a social class is not recognized by the government or societal population. They have gone through exploitation and conditions in their work field that “replicate slavery.” (introduction). Their History has been hidden, there is no mention of the tribal sufferage. Museums fail to explain that the buffalo population of North America had been reduced from fifty million from one thousand. Then the museums have the “audacity to display, “your father made land large enough for all of you… water runs in peace and plenty. It will be yours forever,” (13). Throughout the stories told, there are high cases of social disorders called anomie,

The Sioux Nations are still around today and are struggling to get by in society maybe now more than ever. With little help financially from the government many people are burdened with disease, debt, lack of education, and famine. In the novel Saga of the Sioux the author, , gives the readers a description of the struggles and conflicts that the natives had to overcome thought they are still battling these conflicts today. The author also well elaborates several themes in the novel that express the challenges the natives had to deal with.