Reckonings: The Family in Contemporary Native American Literature

In the selection below, J.M. provides us with our second weekly student blog.

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The injustices that the larger predominantly white American society and the United States government commit against Native Americans appear as a powerful undercurrent in much of Native American literature. Nearly all of the stories in Reckonings, for example, at least contain a passing reference to trouble with government officials, problems historical tragedies, or the superficiality of white culture, even if they do not make up the core of the plot.

Yet, despite constant concerns for these wrongs, none of the authors in Reckonings conveys simple hate for the larger the larger American society, each, instead, weighing the two cultures in a more complex fashion. Two works in particular that caught my attention on this subject were Patricia Riley’s “Damping Down the Road” and Beth H. Piatote’s “Life-Size Indian,” each of which looks at the interactions between Native American and white culture in the context of family. Both works present a clear distinction between the white, popular American culture and a more traditional Native American culture. However, neither provides an obvious answer as to how they can or if they should interact. What do these authors actually think about the worth of white culture in a Native American family? Do they think it should be embraced, tolerated, resisted, or something else?

Although Riley’s “Damping Down the Road” features a family with the majority of its members multiracial, it starts by setting up a distinct cultural divide within the family. In a scene in which the family discusses haircuts for Carnel and Ruby, Riley aligns Carnel and her father Eli with Native American culture by making them appreciate “Good old Indian hair” (Riley 154). Carnel’s mother Nettie and Carnel’s sister Ruby, in contrast, like the idea of a getting a perm and bleaching hair blonde, reflecting popular white culture.

Riley, however, does more than simply divide the family. She takes advantage of Carnel’s role as protagonist to make the reader sympathize in particular with Carnel and Eli’s side. She allows the reader just into Carnel’s thoughts. These, then, provide negative commentary on her sister Ruby, comparing her speech to that of “poor white trash” (154) or her bleached hair to “an old washed-out dishrag” (155). Similarly, Riley uses Carnel’s perspective to characterize her mother as bitter, combative, and unpleasant: regarding Nettie’s efforts to damp down the road, Carnel supposes she is fighting “[a]gainst the way things wanted to be” (155) and further notes that “[s]he was [the road’s] Captain Ahab. It was her Moby Dick” (155). In addition, although Nettie’s backstory that Eli provides encourages the reader to sympathize with her, it does so by making her Native American culture the victim of the policies of a Catholic boarding school. Riley suggests the reason Nettie becomes such a disagreeable character is because of her punishment for telling Native American stories at school: Eli asserts that “she was a completely different person when she came back from that place. She seemed sad all the time, and nervous” (160). Using exclusively Carnel and Eli’s impressions, then, Riley seems to provide a strong criticism for white culture and a comparatively favorable impression of Native American culture.

However, Riley does not end her story with a full criticism of Nettie. Instead, Nettie admits “[she] was wrong” (165) and repairs the turtle figure Eli makes, making Carnel “[feel] overwhelmed with love” (165). Eli’s death seems to have allowed Nettie to come to a resolution regarding her allegiance to Native American culture and white American culture. However, since the reader never gets her perspective directly, the actual resolution in her mind remains unclear. If fixing the turtle represents resurrecting her appreciation for Native American culture, does that mean Nettie simultaneously forgets her white culture? Or is she somehow able to appreciate both? Is Riley suggesting Nettie is better off embracing Native American culture rather than white culture, or is she simply suggesting that both should have their place in the family?

Riley’s “Damping Down the Road,” of course, does not reflect all of the interactions between Native American and white culture in the family. Nettie’s mixed heritage prompted an internal struggle within her. Piatote’s Life-Size Indian, in contrast, features two separate families and emphasizes a more removed interaction between the two cultures.

Piatote makes the contrast between the two cultures most explicit during Nate’s conversation with Jen about family. Nate’s Native American family is much closer than Jen’s white family. He has his family reunion story, and she only “wish[es] [she] had a story like that” (Piatote 275), since she can only see her extended family every two years.

What is Piatote actually saying about the respective worth of these two family structures, though? Like Riley, Piatote only gives the reader one perspective on the matter. Nate “detect[s] a certain wistfulness to [Jen’s] voice, perhaps a secret longing” (275) and “project[s]” (275) that Jen’s family treats her badly in compared to how his family treats him. He “imagine[s] the world he could give her” (275). Piatote at first might seem to suggest that Native American culture is richer than white culture and can improve it by association. However, the language she uses here specifically makes the point that these comments on Jen’s family involve Nate’s subjective analysis. Piatote even points out Nate’s judgment may be biased because of his attraction for Jen: he seems to want to make Jen seem weak just so that “he could love her” (275), although “perhaps he already did” (275). If that explains Nate’s opinion on white culture, though, then what is Piatote’s? Does she sympathize with her protagonist’s views? Or is she using his subjectivity deliberately to point out flaws in his opinions?

Piatote does not offer up an answer immediately, leaving the conclusion of Nate’s relationship with Jen ambiguous. In that way, she ends similarly to Riley, leaving the reader to question if the two cultures can work together in one family, or if they are better off treated separately.

J.M.

Reckonings: Thematic Research Paper Essay #2 Prompt

For your second essay, choose one of the stories we’ve read in class from Reckonings: Contemporary Short Fiction by Native American Women and write a 5-7 page essay about a particular theme that you find interesting. A theme is an idea that recurs in or pervades a work of literature. Some specific examples might include the use of Blues music, Navajo sacred clowns, or the use of prolepsis and analepsis in “Buried Alive in the Blues.” These examples are simply suggestions, but if you have questions about particular themes, feel free to speak with me in office hours.

Additionally, you will be responsible for using at least two outside sources to supplement your research. These sources may be books about the author, critical reviews of their work, and/or texts that relate to the theme that you have selected. All sources should be cited in MLA or Chicago style.

Good Luck!

DRAFT DUE DATE: 02/17

FINAL DUE DATE: 03/09

Native National News

For a rundown of contemporary topics affecting Indian Country and Native communities visit National Native News for details, including links to many Native Livestream channels like KNBA Anchorage, AL, WOJB Hayward, WI, and KFSC Spokane, WA.

Livestream of President Obama: The State of Indian Nations

Following President Obama's State of the Union address earlier this week, The State of Indian Nations is available for livestream today. Click here for a link to the National Congress of American Indians livestream of the speech. From their website:

The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) was founded in 1944 in response to termination and assimilation policies that the United States forced upon the tribal governments in contradiction of their treaty rights and status as sovereigns. NCAI stressed the need for unity and cooperation among tribal governments for the protection of their treaty and sovereign rights. Since 1944, the National Congress of American Indians has been working to inform the public and Congress on the governmental rights of American Indians and Alaska Natives.

Indian Country comes to Berkeley (and vice versa)

From the Berkeley News Center: Indian Country comes to Berkeley (and vice versa)

Joe Myers, Berkeley Law School alum and head of the Joseph A. Myers Center for Research on Native American Issues.

Essay #1 Prompt: Roy Boney, Jr.'s "The Indomitable Language"

ESSAY PROMPT 1

Write a 1 page expository essay that identifies and responds to the “argument” advanced in Roy Boney Jr.’s “The Indominable Language: How the Cherokee Syllabary Went From Parchment to Ipad” located on Indian Country Today’s website (link below).

What kind of rhetorical and stylistic devices are at work in this document? What roles do “translation” and/or “technology” play? Does it reference other historical or literary documents, or remind you of anything else you may have read? You may choose to answer any or all of these questions in your essay. You may also develop your own question to answer. Finally, Your essay should be 1 page in length, and have a clearly stated thesis supported by examples from the text. 


All essays for this class should be in Times New Roman in 11 or 12 point font. For all other questions regarding stylistics and formatting, reference to MLA style guide. A link to an online version of this guide is available on the course blog.

Visit Roy Boney Jr.’s art work here on-line.

Reckonings: The Power of Story

Below, L.C. provides our first student commentary on this week's readings from Reckonings: Contemporary Short Fiction by Native American Women.

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"Stories create us."

In the modern-day, we often overlook the power of stories - stories can often times be seen as childish (such as the concept of bedtime stories) or something that you read during your free time, but the concept of stories creating us is one that is very unique to me. It's even more striking to me how each one of us are essentially living a story - our lives create a story. And to push that point even further, Native Americans, without the technology that we have today, were able to live out that thought that teach life was a story that is meant to be cherished, remembered, and passed on. The introduction of Reckonings the book reads, "Even if read in isolation, the stories create community", because that is often times how Native Americans were able to keep their traditions, heritage, and most importantly, their identities alive. In the
present day, Native Americans can often be stereotyped as old-fashioned or rebellious, when all they're trying to do is to grasp whatever is left of their native heritages. I personally don't think it's wrong at all to hold onto your personal heritage, especially since it is one that is unique from the fast-paced, modernized world of today. What are some of your thoughts on the way Native Americans have been doing this - through stories that have been written and rewritten?

Focusing in on the content of a story is yet another story of its own. Stories by Native American woman are ones that demonstrate the various cycles of life - "birth, power, family, and regeneration" - and ones that tell about how empowered each woman is to hold onto her identity as a Native American Woman, despite what society tries to do to force her to conform. Both Paula Gunn Allen and Joy Harjo reveal a rebellious side, through their writing of "Burned Alive in the Blues" and "The Reckonings". In the first, Allen turns her voice into a man's voice and writes a riveting piece that left me utterly breathless at the end (no joke, I honestly felt pretty worn down after I read it), because of its stream-of-consciousness, yet fast-paced approach of telling the story. To me, it was one of the stories that reflected the struggle with history trying to force them to stay put. Yet they fought hard against the history - even to the point of death. The story paints a picture of kids "walking home, even over the mountains with the possibility of getting lost, falling down a ravine, freezing to death, getting attached by bears - or worse - was better than staying put to die" (9). In Joy Harjo's story, she bravely tells a story of a woman trapped in an abusive relationship - exposing the lack of support Native American Woman often face. However, in this case, the story shows the consequences of not being able to escape the cycles of abuse she endures. "This was my wedding day. If I had another drink I wouldn't hear the voice telling me to get out, to get out now" (178). Both stories, however, reflect the power of the Native
Americans to struggle to grasp whatever is left of their identities. In the first, the struggle in the chaos and tumultuous times is portrayed, and in the second, the tumultuous times are shown by the repeated cycles of violence endured by an un-named woman, her lack of identity apparent in her internal struggle to break the cycle. Both stories remain unresolved - revealing the continuing struggle the Native Americans face...and the continued endurance and power they have in their stories.
I find this connection of the authors' stories to history very grabbing and eye-opening. If anyone else has another reaction or shares in this same reaction or has another connection to history through stories, feel free to say something.

Another identifier of stories as powerful is the presence and recurring imagery of fire. Fire, as a symbol, connotes anger, passion, intensity, and dominance. The extended metaphor in Allen's story is this all-consuming vortex that fuels the "fires of change and winds of revolution [that] took [their] breaths away" (15). In The Reckoning, Harjo speaks of containing fire, when Larry "[holds] fire in his hands" (77). In many senses, both woman speak of trying to deal with this raging issue of identity oppression. They, as Native American Woman, are discouraged from retaining their original tribal identities and are highly encouraged to conform to the standards of the universal (more of an American) standard of being a woman. The first story speaks both of fire as a sacrifice, "But sacred clowns in the scene are tragic figures. They gotta die so everyone else can boogie" (9), and as a destructive force that takes away Janis Jopin's life. (I'm actually not clear on whether or not the sacred clowns statement was actually meant to be read a sacrifice or not - I took it as, they resisted the assimilation that the government demanded of them and fought to their deaths so they could make a statement to their own people and the government that they are willing to do anything to keep their identities - if anyone else has another reading of this, let me know!) The second story speaks of trying prevent the power of alcohol, which is a symbol of the control the American government tries to place on the Native Americans, from shattering a new wife's life. She speaks of Larry holding this fire, this urge to drink, in his hands, trying to prevent it from going out of control. In the modern sense, fire can also be used to connote warmth and unity - as if a family is huddled around the fireplace or a group of campers are huddled around a campfire. In the Native American times, they harnessed fire to do work for them, and not against them. This recurring imagery of fire can also be a longing of the past - to be able to have the power to use fire effectively and not let it dominate them. The stories that contain these fiery images are powerful in themselves, because they show the struggle that the Native Americans have to once again gain control of a tool that was once part of their identity in the past. There are probably other usages of fire among the stories that I haven't figured out yet - does anyone else have something to add?

Lastly, the role of children in Native American stories are apparent in all three stories and greater emphasizes the power of stories. The narrator in "Burned Alive in the Blues" speaks of him watching a band of a younger generation of Native Americans. He says that they are too young and "couldn't remember what it'd been like in the years before, when the scene was young and shiny, full of rage and something that felt alive, like a wild horse, a herd of them, loping across the plains" (7). In many ways, this speaks to the concern of keeping the Native American traditions and movement alive through the generations, because as time moves on, there is always the risk of complacency and forgetting of ancestry and their struggles. Yet the narrator himself talks about the stories he heard from his uncles about times before being removed to the reservations - those stories of freedom and adventure can be a tool for keeping the younger generation of Native Americans involved and engaged in keeping the heritage alive. Joy Harjo paints a picture of a mother who seeks to do everything she can to pull her life together for her son, Joe Junior, and her coming daughter, revealing how much Native Americans have the same concern as any other Americans do - wanting to protect and love their children, but how much isolation she feels when the Women's Center turns a blind eye to her needs. This story that is painted shows the power of humanity and similarity - Native Americans were once turned away for being considered as savages, when they, in reality, share very much the same concern for family as does anyone today. And the final story, "the crow and the snake", is told in a way that's understandable to younger children. Yet the very last sentence, "But there were new creatures born: human, dog, and bird, and they were always told the story of the birds and the snake" (184), shows the continuing importance of the tradition to keep stories alive. This story not only teaches the children about sacrifice and the importance of community, but it also teaches children about the inherent value of nature and animals that the Native Americans treasured throughout history. The story isn't centered around humans, but around a crow, a bird that is often overlooked by humans, which, perhaps, symbolizes the longing for Native Americans to be seen as knowledgeable in the same manner. Children, then, is the channel of livelihood for the Native Americans, because through stories, children are able to learn the Native American ways, struggles, and endurance.

The passing down of traditions through generations is not a new idea to anyone, and if we are all writing our own life stories each moment we live, and hoping to share bits and pieces of our lives with others, why is it that the American government try to prevent the Native Americans from creating theirs?

Welcome!

Welcome!

This is the course blog for the UC Berkeley Spring 2012 course English R1B/1, "21st Century Native American Literature." This course emphasizes research and composition skills, with a focus on indigenous writers in the new millennium. Instructor: Brian Gillis (gillis at berkeley dot edu) Office hours: Monday, 10-12 at PIQ 91 Shattuck Square.

Over the course of the upcoming semester, you will write 1 blog entry that addresses our weekly readings. You will also be responsible for 3 "comments" to be directed at another student's entry. Comments can be posted by you directly in the "Post a comment" section below. You may write more than 3 comments, if you see fit. Each blog should be 8-9 paragraphs in length, and the comments may be as long as a paragraph or two. The longer blog posts should be based on the reading assigned for that day, and should focus on a particular topic or theme by posing a question (or questions) for the class to consider. After you're finished writing your entry, email me your work; I'll then look over your submission and post it on the blog for the rest of the class to read. Please have the submission in my inbox (gillis at berkeley dot edu) by 5:00 p.m. the Monday of your assigned writing week. This will allow your classmates to look over it before our next class.

Finally, a sign-up sheet will circulate during the first week of class, and you're welcome to choose any date (or text) with which you feel comfortable. If you have questions, please email me, or just leave a comment below.

Happy Blogging!