The Sign Of The Beaver Analysis

Everyone in the world is different and some people are discriminated against because of those differences. Imagine being a normal person that doesn’t have any real physical differences but is hated because of a few numbers tattooed to ones foot. It sure would make life frustrating and make it difficult to succeed because of obstacles created by hate from others. In the book, The House of the Scorpion, Matt shows he gets through life’s struggles and grows up when he accepts his identity, makes his own choices and gets through his problems with Maria.

In Sherman Alexie’s novel “The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian” the narrator portrays both internal and external conflicts throughout his journey to success. Arnold Junior Spirit is a fourteen-year-old boy who believes that in order to pursue his dream he will have to choose between staying in his Spokane Indian reservation or moving out to an all-white school in the neighboring farm town. But things aren’t as easy as they seem when Junior tries moving schools because he know has to be part of two communities. Many conflicts form within the Spokane Indian reservation and the Spokane Indian reservation as well comes into conflict with the white community.

The father of Wind-Wolf did not understand why the teacher labeled his son as a slow-learner. The father wrote a letter to the teacher to express his displeasure of this label. The father explains how Wind-Wolf has been through more of an education then his fellow peers. The father explains Wind-Wolf might not understand certain concepts because he is not familiar with the tools and methods used in the classroom. The father also expresses his concern he has of Wind-Wolf being bullied and losing some of his culture because of it. Finally, the father mentions the teacher could use resources to handle this problem properly and how to incorporate the Indian culture in the classroom.

Sherman Alexie is a Native American man who is well known for his novels and short stories based on his experiences as a member of many different Native American tribes. In his short story “Indian Education”, Alexie details the struggles with bullying and discrimination one Native American boy went through during his time in school. Although “Indian Education” is written differently from other short stories it still conveys a solid theme and has a well written plot. Alexie’s style is also a benefit to the reader as they make their way through grade school with the main character, Victor.

Soon after, Victor becomes irritated with Thomas telling more of his stories and asks him if he even knows how to be a real Indian. An unsure “I guess not,” is Thomas’ response, to which Victor states that he will just have to teach Thomas how to be one. Victor then explains that an Indian must remain stoic and mean like a warrior to receive any respect from others. Victor’s beliefs on what an Indian should act like probably originate from the knowledge and stories of Indians from the nineteenth century passed down over the years through both written and oral records. Victor sternly deciding to actively follow the example of the tribe’s ancestors was probably made in response to his treatment from and the behavior of his father. Choosing to abide by the beliefs and traditions of his tribes allows Victor to cope with or simply avoid his past by both renewing and strengthening his identity as a member of his tribe’s society. However, soon after telling Thomas of his beliefs, Victor’s “warrior act” fails to elicit any respect from two rude gentlemen who take the two Indians’ bus seats during a

‘Stop that.’” When the reader is reading the quote they feel sympathy for Matt and a bit upset with Celia for being so strict for not taking him and being so harsh. Finally, when Matt is being hunted down, his friend María is helping him, they say, “‘What am I supposed to do?’ Matt said. He felt drained of willpower.

When Matt is finally needed for organs, he manages a narrow escape with the help of Tam Lin, but the danger isn't left behind in Opium. Near death awaits him at the border of Aztlan, luckily Matt is able to hop the border, and land right in the arms of the Keepers. Conformity was the key to surviving with the lost boys, but Matt did not conform easily. Had he been ignorant to the ways of the world –like the other lost boys- Matt would've been like a sheep following a shepherd. However, Matt was not a sheep, he had seen more of the world than the orphans could dream of, and could not be easily brainwashed. In the end, Matt's individualism caused a lot of trouble, almost killing the frail Fidelito and himself. If Matt had compromised his integrity, nobody would've been hurt. On the other hand,

All throughout the book, Matt is constantly reminded that he is lacking a soul and in other cases, an identity of his own. In the eyes of the people of Atzlán, Matt is nothing. He is just another one of El Patrón’s clones to them; that he would be nothing without El Patrón. We can recognize that once El Patrón dies, Matt opens up and really becomes his own self; one nothing like his ruthless dictator. Reading this book, there are never any ambiguities about Matt’s humanity; he is always magnanimous and loving towards his close family and friends; especially Maria. The words, “inferior,” and, “filthy lie,” take Matt by surprise. It is clear that Matt has been pegged as inferior his whole life, and to now be told that that has been a lie this whole time, would be enough to leave anyone in bewilderment. As the book wraps up, Matt is left with an identity of his own, one he creates by making his own

The novel Bearstone narrates the education of a young Native American adolescent named Cloyd. At the beginning of the novel, Cloyd is in a state of internal conflict about his identity. He has lost his parents, and he alienated all of the other people who have attempted to parent him. To show his anger and his sense of loss and alienation, he runs away repeatedly and acts in an angry and vengeful manner towards the people who try to help him. He also runs away from his Native American school. Cloyd continually says he feels 'bad' about himself and the world. Over the course of his stay on the ranch of Walter, an elderly, recently-widowed white man, he learns to trust people again. Walter attempts to bring Cloyd into a sense of feeling 'good' about the world, which also requires Cloyd to begin to feel better about himself.

On page 51 the the second paragraph says "But he had to admit that on the days when Attean did not come the hours went by slowly." Attean didn't even like the lessons that Matt gave him. Although, Attean hated them he still went to Matts house. Therefore I believe that Attean only goes for company. Matt may feel the same way, maybe he feels lonely too. This is why I think that Matt feels like the hours go by slowly.

Antonio Beaver was a normal, family-loving person, never having committed a crime, and had a great life. But on August 15th, 1996, a carjacking took place in a parking lot in St. Louis, Missouri. Antonio Beaver was a man who believed in himself and didn’t stop at nothing to prove his innocence. He was wrongfully accused of committing the crime because of the vague description given to the police by the victim.

Community Influences - Culturally Antwone never felt like he was good enough due to his dark complexion and as seen in the film, explains to Cheryl about what he witnessed about how the children who were adopted from the orphanage. He explains that first the light-skinned girls were adopted, followed by the light-skinned boys, then the dark-skinned girls, and last but not least, the dark-skinned boys. His cultural and societal impact is also seen when Mrs. Tate points out that his mother did not want him and how his brother Keith is his superior due to him having a white man as a father and being lighter-skinned. The above being constant from such a young age taught Antwone his culture early on, in which he always carried with him. His neighborhood friendship with Jessie allowed him to feel a sense of safety, something he did not have anywhere else. His high school allowed him to feel competent and worthy as he achieved multiple certifications and a high school diploma. Then his social worker dropping him off at a local homeless shelter gave him a sense of hopelessness. When he enlisted in the U.S. Navy, he embraced the military culture. And although he was extremely uptight at first with his therapist, Dr. Davenport, he soon began to build a trusting relationship with an adult male, possibly the first time ever in his life.

This draws a connection to the erasure of Native American culture in history, they are seen as rare and different from the ordinary, and for some people their existence is completely forgotten or denied. His own comments of not belonging at a white school, because of his nationality and family history further show the division of race that he can see at Reardan. Junior’s cursing accentuates how frustrated and pathetic he feels, viewed as less than everyone at his school, and constantly rejected and isolated by his white peers. The negative, demeaning mindset of those white kids is that Native Americans do not deserve anything from white people, not their time, attention, care, or even a proficient education. According to Jens Manuel Krogstad at Pew Research Center, Native Americans have the second highest high school dropout rate- eleven percent. This is very high, especially when compared to the white or Asian dropout rates- five and three percent, respectively. Additionally, it says Native Americans have the second lowest percentage of bachelor’s degrees, only seventeen percent, compared to the two highest, white and Asian, at thirty three and fifty percent (Krogstad). Many Native Americans today are not allowed a chance at education because of poverty at reservations, and lousy, penniless schools. These issues are not thought about or spoken of often, because they are simply not

Soon he learns from bear claw that there are different type of Indians some which you should never even think of fighting and some that had never hurt a white man before. More than to be respectful the mountain men submit to the Indians out of fear.

This poem written by Forrest Fenn contains nine clues that if followed precisely, will lead to the end of his rainbow and the treasure. Happy Hunting!