"The Soft-Hearted Sioux" by Zitkala-Sa. http://etext.lib.virginia.edu/toc/modeng/public/ZitSoft.html
From "The Soft-Hearted Sioux"
"Looking about, I saw an old woman sitting with bowed head. Shaking hands with her, I recognized my mother. I sat down between my father and mother as I used to do, but I did not feel at home. The place where my old grandmother used to sit was now unoccupied. With my mother I bowed my head. Alike our throats were choked and tears were streaming from our eyes; but far apart in spirit our ideas and faiths separated us. My grief was for the soul unsaved; and I thought my mother wept to see a brave man's body broken by sickness."
I enjoyed this passage because the author does an excellent job of conveying the mood of disappointment. He does this by paralleling his being at home, but not feeling at home. Also, he shows how he is still like his family in their strong emotions, which makes him want to please them, but is too far apart in faith to do this. His strong convictions are inspiring because it can be hard to concentrate on intangible things when your always living in the here and now.
As the story continues, the boy drives away the medicine man, whom his father believes he needs to live, to trust in the powers of god. He tries to hunt for food, but is unsuccessful. Upon his father's wishes, the boy goes out one last time, and gets food at the expense of another's life.
From "The Soft-Hearted Sioux":
"He tells me that to-morrow I must die. In his stern face I laugh aloud. I do not fear death.
Yet I wonder who shall come to welcome me in the realm of strange sight. Will the loving Jesus grant me pardon and give my soul a soothing sleep? or will my warrior father greet me and receive me as his son? Will my spirit fly upward to a happy heaven? or shall I sink into the bottomless pit, an outcast from a God of infinite love?
Soon, soon I shall know, for now I see the east is growing red. My heart is strong. My face is calm. My eyes are dry and eager for new scenes. My hands hang quietly at my side. Serene and brave, my soul awaits the men to perch me on the gallows for another flight. I go."
I thought this excerpt was also very strong because the author repeats his faith in god one more time as he ends the story. I feel broken-hearted for the boy because he wants to be accepted by his family so badly, but his faith in god prevents him from this. The author uses intense diction to convey the message that everyone must choose their own path, and believe in it strongly. The mood of disappointment in an entire community (tribe) is very powerful and is amplified through the dissatisfaction the boy’s family shows him, making the story tremendously poignant
This picture reminds me of the boy because Jesus is helping a man in the picture, and the boy looks to god for guidance, even though the rest of his tribe has outcast him. He is brave.
~Jasmine Marie~
2 comments:
Jasmine,
I enjoyed reading your entries because they are so much like an actual journal; you were able to integrate analysis of literature into the life of the character you were to portray. Although the emotion in your entry is strong, the native american piece may have been more powerful if you had put yourself in the shoes of the native american and written as if you were this boy. But you did mimic the story's emotion well.
i like this passage because it shows the prejudices that people can have not because of the color of a persons skin but because of the way they decide tio live their lives. It is also very sad that his father died and the boy knows that his father was not a christian like he was.
also your journal entries are wonderful because you make me feel like i am actually reading a journal entry from a person coming to america. you have skills when it comes to mood and tone in your writing.
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