Native American Literature

Things To Consider:

Parallel Structure
Repetition of Images
Age/Generations
Animal Imagery/Symbolism
Numbers, especially Four (4)
1860-1890: Indian Wars: Final Attempts to Resist European American Conquest.

** Homework Questions **
381:

Why does Black Elk agree to tell his story?

382:

What is the major concern of Native American writers and poets?

Navajo, "The Night Chant: Concluding Rite, First Day"
See interesting essay, "The Nightway Questions American Literature"

383:

Explain the significance of the rainbow .
Who / What are Tsisnadshini and Estsanatlehi ?

Courtney Moyah,
"In One Day My Mother Grew Old"
385:

Explain: "water from the river / came to my eyes" (16-17).

James Welch (1940- )
"The Man from Washington"

387:

What does Welch mean by "the end" (1)?

Ray Young Bear (1950- )
"One Chip of Human Bone"
See essay

389:

To what do the title and first line refer?
Why is it "almost fitting / to die on railroad tracks" (2-3)?

(Click for On-Line Text)
Black Elk (1863-1950)
from Black Elk Speaks
Chapter Three: The Great Vision

391-93:
The discussion of the first part of the vision might make more sense in table form:

Grandfather of: West North East South Sky Earth

Description of Location: Where sun goes down Where Great White Giant Lives Where Sun shines continually Where you are always facing n/a n/a

Color of Horse: Black White Sorrel Buckskin n/a n/a

Animal Association: Horse Goose Bison Elk Spotted Eagle Black Elk

Gift : Water (Life)
Bow & Arrow (Destruction),
Name: Eagle Wing Stretches Cleansing Wind, White Wing
(Endurance) Eagle Pipe of Healing/Peace Red Stick and Hoop of Nation Power of Sky Power of Earth

Red Road: Runs from North to South: Good: "On it shall your nation walk" (393).

Black Road: Runs from East to West: Troubles & War: "From it you shall have the power to destroy a people's foes" (393).

395:

What is the significance to the order of travel on the red road?

Black Horse Riders, White Horse Riders, Sorrels, Buckskins, followed by little children, youth and maidens;
tribe's four chieftains, young men and women;
nation's four advisors, with men & women neither old nor young;
old men;
old women;
Black Elk, alone on bay horse with bow and arrow
ghosts of previous generations

396:

What is the significance/purpose of the four virgins?

Other Discussion Questions:
381:

Black Elk's is a Fourth Generation Name. How is that Significant?

What is a wichasha wakon?

Why does he make an offering of a sacred pipe to the Great Spirit?

Navajo, "The Night Chant: Concluding Rite, First Day"
383:

How do you think this poem would be recited/performed?

384:

What things are restored to the speaker?
Why do these things need to be restored?
What is "it" in lines 78 and 79?

Courtney Moyah,
"In One Day My Mother Grew Old"
385:

What is this poem about?
Why is the title line repeated?

James Welch (1940- )
"The Man from Washington"
388:

What are "our crude beginnings" (2)?

What is "a flat world" (3)?

What does "inoculated" mean (11)?

To what does "fabulous disease" (13) refer?

from Black Elk Speaks
Chapter Three: The Great Vision
390:

Who are the wasichus?
What is an iron road?

394:

Who is the blue man? Why can only Black Elk, and not the four horses, kill him?
Why does the dead blue man become a turtle?

396:

Explain the red man and the bison.

395-97:

Four ascents represent four generations. What will happen in each generation?

398:

Why do the Grandfathers give Black Elk their gifts again?

Back to Top

Grandfather of:	West	North	East	South	Sky	Earth
Description of Location:	Where sun goes down	Where Great White Giant Lives	Where Sun shines continually	Where you are always facing	n/a	n/a
Color of Horse:	Black	White	Sorrel	Buckskin	n/a	n/a
Animal Association:	Horse	Goose	Bison	Elk	Spotted Eagle	Black Elk
Gift :	Water (Life) Bow & Arrow (Destruction), Name: Eagle Wing Stretches	Cleansing Wind, White Wing (Endurance)	Eagle Pipe of Healing/Peace	Red Stick and Hoop of Nation	Power of Sky	Power of Earth

Red Road:	Runs from North to South:	Good: "On it shall your nation walk" (393).
Black Road:	Runs from East to West:	Troubles & War: "From it you shall have the power to destroy a people's foes" (393).