Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve's The Medicine Bag

“Sonny’s Blues” by James Baldwin and “The Yellow Wallpaper” by Charlotte Perkins Gilman are two stories that reveal the consequences of individual suffering. These consequences include estranging relationships, bitter behavior, and even illness, addiction, or death. Throughout each of these stories, Sonny and John’s wife, known as the narrator of “The Yellow Wallpaper”, continue to suffer due to John’s and Sonny’s brother’s, known as the narrator of “Sonny’s Blues”, failure to meet obligations and familial compassion. Neither the narrator in “Sonny’s Blues” nor the husband, John, in “The Yellow Wallpaper” serve as the villains of the stories, however, I believe we are able to see how both their inabilities to effectively

Beginning with “The Medicine Bag” , the main character is Martin. His Grandpa, who is an Indian on the Rosebud Reservation in South Dakota, came to visit him and his family. When Martin's sister, Cheryl, saw their grandpa, she got extremely excited and couldn't wait for her friends to come and meet him. Martin on the other hand was not too excited. He

Porter's "The Jilting of Granny Weatherall" depicts the story of a dying woman's life. Throughout her eighty years of life Mrs. Weatherall has had her fair share of disappointments, heartaches, and unfavorable outcomes. This short story is written in a manner that allows the reader to get an outside view looking in; similar to looking at the story through a window as if being acted out in front of you in the theater. The story is eloquently written and leaves the reader with a sense of familiarity towards the family. The populations of readers who have had the pleasure of experiencing this pathetic story have come to relate their own experiences and disappointments towards the story and have empathetic feelings towards the main

The reader is almost forced to look at the actions of the grandmother as being similar to that of a young child. There's not a quiet moment with her around and she never sits still. The reader tends to have a negative perception of the grandmother due to these personality traits. However, these traits are expressed in a comical way causing the reader to be annoyed by the grandmother, but also entertained.

1. Throughout the story suspense is aroused and maintained excellently. This is achieved by the character the author creates. Mr. Martin is characterized as a neat and cautious man, who never took a smoke or a drink in his life. Our suspense is aroused when the author states that it has been “a week to the day since Mr. Martin had decided to rub out Mrs. Ulgine Barrows”. This arouses our suspense because we are told Mr. Martin is planning to murder this woman. The suspense is maintained with Mr. Martin’s thoughts. We as an audience are given his thoughts through the use of the 3rd person omniscient point of view. His thoughts are mostly on the issue on his dislike of Mrs. Barrows. Because of this, he

The short story “The Medicine Bag” by Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve and the video Apache Girl’s Rite of Passage by National Geographic have many differences and similarities to introduce the reader to Native American rites of passage. The most significant difference is that the short story emphasizes the emotional struggle of Martin, while the video shows the physical struggle of Dachina Cochise. This can be shown in the short story when it states, “’Thank you, Grandpa.’ I said softly...Two weeks later, I stood alone on the lonely prairie of the reservation and put the sacred sage in my medicine bag.”(Sneve 78, 79) In contrast, the video shows, “These four days mean little sleep, scant food, and the need to set aside emotion. Throughout the ordeal, she must wear a face of stoic resolve.”(National Geographic) At this point in the short story, Martin successfully receives and inherits the medicine bag from his Grandpa and goes to the reservation to put the sacred sage in the medicine bag, signifying that he is the new bearer. As shown from the video quote, Dachina Cochise is starting her trials, but she has to go with little food or sleep and keep a straight face the whole time. This proves that the type of journey they go through makes a big difference in the purpose and meaning of the story. Martin starts as embarrassed about his culture and the medicine bag because he is afraid his friends will make fun of him. Throughout the story, it emphasizes his emotional growth and he

The author’s melancholic, yet, optimistic tone arouses mix feelings from his readers. Bragg clouts his readers’ perception of his father with harrowing, however, coveted recollections of the past. In the author’s comparative recount of the Father’s demeanor, he paints an unsettling, yet a hopeful life of his father:

The protagonist fears, she may be forced to socialise with the inmates ‘smelling of pee’. Additionally expressing her feelings and obsession concerning hygiene. Unearthing Doris‘s neglected period of life, the saddest era of her being. In which recollections of Doris’s past history are triggered by present day objects such as; the wedding photograph of Doris and Wilfred represented to be a strong symbol, of the implication, in which Doris’s endless campaign against dust, has cause the glass to crack. Representing the destructive nature of Doris’s cleaning mania, and the separation of herself and Wilfred. Doris initial reminisces of the past, begin with thoughts like many of the elderly, of the golden days through coloured spectacles, in which the protagonist ruefully looks back upon the era where ‘people were clean and the streets were clean and it was all clean.’ The present for Doris lacks what she values and sees as important, and does not at all appreciate what the present has to offer – that is, a home- help; Zulema, and the prospect of care in an old people’s home. Doris perceives these interferences within her strictly controlled life as an adversary to challenge – if possible – demolish the remaining control the protagonist withholds within her life.

Max’ has wood and he craving with his new knife the dates of Kevin death. 12-25-1993 tears in his eyes as he wipes them with his selves as he has chills he thinks Kevin is right by his side was Max’s was on his front porch the wood craving was tribute for Kevin as he puts in box to remember his best friend. Writing a book for the next chapter is exciting wishing Kevin was here Max wishes to talk to Kevin again as Max’s talks to his grandma about Kevin death his grandma told Max someone passing away is loss remember the good times start laughing Max asked his grandma if this will take away sadness or his passing can I be happy again? Max grandma told him yes remember the fun times you had with Kevin. Max asked why everyone I love dies? “Max’s grandma told him I can’t answer that question.” Max said to his grandma I don’t understand why everyone has to

“I don’t feel so well” Jan’s father had suddenly said one morning at breakfast. Her father, a World War II veteran, stood up and went to go lie down. The rest of the family continued with their day. Michael went to see how his father was. When he tried to wake him his father didn’t respond or make a sound. The 11 year old boy was the one who first knew that his father was gone. The memory of her father’s loss is vivid in Jan’s mind. It was a substantial shock after he had survived the horrors of World War II and then just passed away quietly at home one morning. Jan now understands how

Other members of his family think the man is delirious and warn the children witnessing it to forget what they have heard. I.M. describes his grandfather as "an odd old guy, my grandfather, and I am told I take after him" (556). Being the grandchild that was most like him, he clearly understood the old man's message and could never escape from its hold on him. Ellison's use of I.M.'s point of view sets the stage for the rest of the story. Seen from an outside witness or even from another member of the family, this scene could be quite different. Only I.M. seems to take the message to heart and use it wisely. From this point on, I.M.'s point of view is crucial to the development of the story's theme.

The next day, Martin and Alfonse was on their way to school. Their usual route takes them from their houses, which are on the same street, to a bridge to cross a fast moving river, and then past their town’s bakery where Martin always insists that they stop and get something. While on their daily route it is obvious that everybody that walks amongst Martin is intimidated because they keep their eyes low and tend to either purposely walk slower or purposely walk faster While they were nearing closer to their school Martin was ogling at the bakery window when in the reflection he sees

In the short story “The Half-Skinned Steer”, author Annie Proulx sets forth a tale about an older gentleman, named Mero who is returning to his childhood home and ranch for his brother’s funeral. For the majority of the story, the tale takes place on the road while Mero is traveling from Massachusetts to his hometown in Wyoming. Throughout the story, Mero reflects back on life events that had happened to him. He is challenged by these memories, as they easily affect his thoughts and actions, thus changing his life forever.

Although Martin’s family faces dilemmas, the love in the family remains evident. Initially, the devotion that Martin shows towards his children illustrates his good nature. Martin views his children’s faces as “radiant as flower petals, equally loved” (103). Moreover illustrating his love for his children, Martin “kissed the tiny hand that lay palm-upward” (103). Furthermore, Martin’s hope to hold his family together exhibits his affection for his family. Martin constantly attempts to calm his wife in order to avoid displays of anger(101). “Please go upstairs,”(101) Martin begs of his wife so the children do not get upset seeing their mother frustrated. Lastly, the physical and emotional desire for Emily that Martin has, further shows how he cares for his family. Comforting his wife, Martin exhibits his love for her(104). Martin watched Emily as she slept and his “old anger vanished”(104).

There was a tougher side to Grandpa, and I suppose this, too, made him unique with poise. He never would let rudeness from one who knew it was wrong. Young children may be blunt but those are kids. Adults showing rude, obscene things towards women were not allowed--in his presence.