An Indian Father's Plea Sparknotes

While some may not see, are well informed or closely effected by what Native Americans have gone through for centuries it is not as if the problem has gone away, it is still occurring, just not broadcasted or talked about in the news. Most people are aware or knowledgeable of what has occurred when it comes to Native Americans in general but not so much on what some still go through or how hard it may have been on them through the decades. For some Native Americans it has been difficult adjusting to the changes around them when it came to having to continually move along with when it came to associating with settlers or people outside their tribe, which would be straining on their culture. In An Indian Father’s Plea, Robert Lake suggests that

his son should not be discriminated for being different or have his sons way of learning be changed just because it is not what others are accustomed to, but suggests that not only the teacher but the students themselves can learn from such a distinctive culture as they are an important part of history. A tribe that had once stretched from Northern California to Southern Oregon are very few in population and are not well informed on their culture. The Shasta Tribe relocated to Grande Ronde and Siletz Reservations where they suffer from poor health care and education. Robert Lake offers the solution that schools are funded from millions of dollars by Congress and are being spent each year for ``Indian Education” (Lake).'' But over the years the number for Indian Education funding has significantly dropped. He states that in using that money it would not only help his son be understood but help many children understand their culture.
Chief Seattle tries to show his standing point and views on what he thinks of his land being sold or taken away, along with what the land means to him.

He questions on “How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? (Seattle).” Chief Seattle uses a hyperbole because he does not necessarily mean it, but gives the idea on how can someone take something that is not theirs to take, or possible of taking, he explains that what the 18t century settlers are unaware of taking into consideration. That they do not understand how absurd this sounds to them. Chief Seattle wants to understand how settlers cannot take into consideration how this land is more to them than just land it is something sacred to them. Chief Seattle compares the air to the land in how it is not there for their taking. Furthermore, he is trying to compare what they want to do with his land to how it may seem or look with buying and selling other things. Both Chief Tecumseh and Chief Seattle describe their land and what it means to their culture spiritually and physically in a way to make people think. Chief Tecumseh tries to explain and evaluates the effect of settlers asking different tribes and natives and what it would do, along with how much harm it would cause. He tries to explain to the settlers the absurdity of what they are requesting. In the words of Chief Tecumseh “Sell a country?! Why not sell the air, the great sea as well as the earth? Did not the Great Spirit make them all for us, his

children? (Chief Tecumseh).” Chief Tecumseh is demonstrating what the thought of selling land looks like to him, he’s trying to put things in a perspective where his audience would understand it or see it in a new light. While he understands where his audience is coming from and is giving his input on what might occur from this throughout the passage. He is trying to get them to comprehend and show what such an idea of selling his land might look like to him and is trying to show them that this land means more to his people because they hold a connection with the land. Both Chiefs are similar in that they strongly disagree and appose with the selling of their land because of how sacred it is to them and their ancestors and how much the land benefits them agriculturally.