I found Mr. Big Elk's talk to be extremely interesting. I will admit I know
almost nothing about what happened with the Indians and how the white people
took their land and I knew even less about what he was mentioning with the
boarding schools. I especially liked the fact that even though he has
suffered so much in his life at the hands of white people he still has the
ability to forgive and realize that all of us need to forgive and move on and
get along and "be one big circle of life together". I a tear or two that I
had to fight to control while listening to him speak of all of the beatings
and abuse. The things he had to say about what the white people did made me
feel ashamed to be white and angry at the ignorance of my predecessors. After
listening to him talk I wanted to apologize to him and say that I felt badly
that those wrongs had been done to him in his life, but after hearing how
accepting he was of those circumstances, and the fact that he considered those
times a good learning experience I didn't want to make a comment that would
seem hollow since I don't know him personally. The whole experience really
made me check my views on Indians and I know that I will probably treat them
differently and with a little more respect from now on. I had a lot of
questions that I would have liked to ask while he was speaking, but the more
he spoke, the more he answered. I thought his talk was very informative and
was glad that he spoke on the things he did because I never would've had the
nerve to ask any Indian I would ever meet if any of that had ever happened to
them.
Post on Storyteller -
I liked Storyteller alot. I think Silko wanted to write a book like this so
that she would have something to leave behind for generations after her.
Maybe she also wrote it so that others would be able to read the stories to
their children and pass on the traditions the way she received them from her
Grandmother. I think that a book like Storyteller is an excellent book and
shows us how to appreciate the ways other cultures pass on thier beliefs and
structure. By that I mean that it teaches the children how to value the land
and what it has to give the same way their parents were taught. I think
Storyteller mostly reflects Silko's childhood stories and possible some life
experiences. For some people writing is a therapy. Not that she needed any
therapy, but rather she might have felt like she had important things to say
about her culture and that a book such as Storyteller would be a great avenue
to express it. I would recommend this book to a friend mostly because I found
the short stories really interesting. I like the fact that she included a
part of her own history in some of the short poems & excerpts that were told
to her as a child.
Post about the class -
I think the biggest thing I got out of this class is a new respect and a
better outlook on the Indian Culture and people as a whole. It changed the
way I view Indians and it definitely affected my future behaviors towards
them. I don't really think it will affect the things I read at all. I have
an interest in many different types of literature and if anything it has
broadened my scope of choices. I am unfortunately a cover summary book buyer.
If the cover makes it sound good I'll usually buy it. I think the Internet
postings are a good avenue for discussion. Alot of people do not like to
speak out in a classroom setting for many different reasons and this allows
everyone an equal voice without feeling self-conscious during the class
session.
I really enjoyed both of the books you chose for this class and if a friend
ever asked if they should take it I would definitely say yes! Thanks for
making it interesting Dr. Day.
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