EN3116 American Native Literature

The purpose of this paper is to shed the light on the innate themes in From the Deep Woods to Civilization by Charles Alexander Eatsman (Eastman: 356). The thoughts on the American Indian matters have been largely ingrained in this book. The activism from the Native Americans has been portrayed in this book as well. The different themes have been discussed here like the Dakota sovereignty and nationhood and the space of the home and homeland. The topic of the book has been the portrayal of the Indian tradition of the narratives in the previous centuries.

Proper links between the past civilizations and the current ones have been given an overview in this section. An important segment of the book is on the oral tradition of the story telling of the Indians in the previous times. The culture of the Indian tradition and culture has been described with the reminiscing of the home and homeland of India (Eastman: 477). The narrator of the book had to fight his own battle since it was regarding his own identity. In this book various cultures and their contradictions have been discussed. The feelings of the narrator have been portrayed in a manner that it can show the differences between the Native Americans and the Indians.

The family of the authors and their conflicting ideas has been the most complicated factors in this book indeed. A lot of confusion has been depicted in this book since the author Eastman has written this book as his autobiography. This book can be considered as the sequel book of Indian Boyhood. The name of the narrator of this book is Ohiyesa (Eastman: 567). The author has detailed the stories of his own life through the narration of Ohiyesa. However, the Dakota sovereignty has been disclosed in this section by the longing to become as cultured as the white men of America. The desire for the home and homeland of India has been discussed in a wide manner (Treat: 356).

It can be quoted from the book that “The true Indian sets no price upon either his property or his labor. His generosity is limited only by his strength and ability. He regards it as an honor to be selected for difficult or dangerous service and would think it shameful to ask for any reward….” (Eastman: 347). This sentence has emphasized on the pride and valiance he felt on being a true Indian and his belongings for the same. The fact that his father was not dead and he came back after vowing for Christianity to be included in the group of white men had changed his life a lot indeed (Treat: 356). Another section can be quoted from the book to prove the Dakota sovereignty in the book. It is ‘Children must early learn the beauty of generosity. They are taught to give what they prize most, that they may taste the happiness of giving’. The true Indian culture has been portrayed through the lines as a reference to the homeland of Ohiyesa.

References

Eastman, Charles Alexander. From the deep woods to civilization: chapters in the autobiography of an Indian. Vol. 651. U of Nebraska Press, 1977.

Treat, James. Native and Christian: Indigenous voices on religious identity in the United States and Canada. Routledge, 2012.