"The Soft-Hearted Sioux" by Zitkala-Sa
It might just be me, but reading this story, I felt really emotional. I think I almost cried, or maybe I was just delirious because I was sleepy. The author really painted a picture in my head and I felt like I was watching a really sad movie. Anyway, here are my thoughts of the story.
The main character in this story was taught to hunt since he was little. Hunting is a part of the Sioux culture. But when he went to missionary school, they taught him that hunting/killing is wrong. Since he lost his hunting skills and didn't hunt anymore, he lost his culture. This is seen when he returns to his home and lost his native tongue. He is also dressed like a white man, with a bible and etc. On his father's death bed, his father says, "My son, your soft heart has unfitted you for everything! (409) My son, your soft heart will let me starve before you bring me meat! yet you will see me die before you bring me food" (410) I thought going out to hunt for meat symbolized finding your culture again. And it took a while before the son hunts and brings meat home for his father, though it was too late. To me, when he hunted and brought the meat home, he gained some part of his culture back. Which signifies the importance of preserving your culture.
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You're absolutely right about the main character search for his culture. It's interesting how you articulated the idea of cultural identity ties into preserving the culture in hunting. I thought of it as a way for the son to assert some peace of mind to both his father and himself. You're off to a good start, but it would be very interesting to see a little more elaboration on this thought.
ReplyDeleteI think the fact that he hunted represented that he cannot get rid of the Sioux culture that is inside of him. As much as he tries to live the white ways, since he hunted it shows that he made a decision based off of the Sioux culture, not the white culture. I still think that it is very sad that he has been so influenced by the white ways. His decisions did not make his family or people proud.
ReplyDeleteI like how you pointed out that hunting for meat for his father was symbolic to finding culture again. I think your absolutely right. It is also the failed attempts that foreshadowed his failure in spreading Christianity. Although you would agree this is a very sad story, I enjoyed this fiction work.
ReplyDeleteIt was hard for me to grapple with this story. I kept wishing that there was more character development, for it to be made into a book or something. It was just so interesting and I wanted to learn more about how the young man wrestled with his Christianity vs. Native ideologies.
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