Select an image or theme from any of our texts this term. You are free to go back to the first, second, or third week, if you would like. Construct an essay that traces its significance for the text.
For example, you can choose the red apples from Zitkala-Sa’s chapters and explain their significance as a temptation, a lure, and an ideological symbol of how the dominant culture somewhat tricked younger Native Americans into believing that the East was an Eden.
Another example might be the butter churn from “Everyday Use.” This small item becomes the center of the main conflict within the story—the contrast between the mother’s perspective of her heritage and Dee’s perspective of her heritage.
You can also consider something like Americanization. For this theme, you might trace the differences between the mother and daughter in “Two Kinds.” How does the daughter’s American notion of independence cause tension with her mother’s Chinese values? Remember the mother’s comment about there being only two kinds of daughters—obedient and those who follow their own minds (1098).
For a poetic example, you might explain the significance of senses other than sight in Li-Young Lee’s “Persimmons.” As his father was blind, Lee pays attention to touch, taste, and smell as vehicles for memories.
Notes:
Be sure that your introduction includes the title of your selected text, author’s name, date of publication, and a brief statement or two of synopsis. Also, indicate that the text might be a part of a greater piece, such as a chapter from a novel, a story within a greater narrative (Iktomi), etc.
Your body paragraphs should begin with critical points of your own. Look at the difference between these two statements:
Zitkala-Sa is intrigued by the red apples of the East. (Summary)
Zitkala-Sa’s curiosity with the red apples plays into the cultural lure of the white people—that the East is a place of abundance and wonder. (Critical- beyond mere fact or summary)
-Your quotes should be peppered into your own statements, much like you do with the formal discussion posts.
-Also, remember to cite each quote according to MLA and provide a Works Cited page. (A sample Works Cited is provided for you with the week’s materials. You will have to replace the author and text according to you own selection.)
Notes/themes to focus on for “Iktomi and the Fawn”:
“Iktomi and the Fawn” is one of several stories involving the Iktomi figure, a trickster who engaging in laughable antics and serves as a warning about such behavior. Both referred to as a legend and a fable, Zitkala-Sa’s story is an attempt to preserve the Native American heritage amid the tensions of assimilation. Like the tribal origin account in The Middle Five, Zitkala-Sa’s legend/fable, “Iktomi and the Fawn,” provides significant figures and beliefs within Native American culture. Iktomi would have been familiar to natives. His appearance in various other legends proves that he is a trickster figure, one who challenges people’s beliefs. Often portrayed as half man, half spider, Iktomi’s antics provide the moral of several legends. As read within the context of assimilation, Zitkala-Sa’s legend also implies the dangers of trying to be something that someone is not. With each change, Iktomi is less satisfied and eventually loses his spirit, which reflects the natives’ sense of loss as the Anglo culture strips them of their language, spiritual beliefs, and customs. They would feel as though they have lost their spirit. Iktomi: A reoccurring figure in Zitakala-Sa’s legends and fables. He would be familiar to Native Americans, and her inclusion of such a central figure is an attempt to preserve tribal heritage amid the changing ideology of her people. These stories are a reminder of the Dakota understanding of life, separate from the Christian teachings that were becoming prevalent among natives.
