Plank Eyed: An Analysis of the Hypocrisies Displayed in “The Problem of Old Harjo” “Why do you look at the speck of sawdust in your brother’s eye and pay no attention to the plank in your own eye? How can you say to your brother, ‘Let me take the speck out of your eye,’ when all the time there is a plank in your own eye? You hypocrite, first take the plank out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother’s eye.” Society is quick to identify problems in the lives of others, but always fails to recognize its own shortcomings. From the past to the present, this has been an issue that continues to plague mankind. In John Oskison’s, “The Problem of Old Harjo”, Miss Evans, a Caucasian missionary in the Indian …show more content…
“Ask him, before he comes into the presence of the Lord, if he is willing to conform to the laws of the country in which he lives, the country that guarantees his idle existence.” This is the general belief shared among the missionaries, in order for the Native Americans to enter the “utopia” which the evangelists have created, the Indians must throw away their way of life and adapt completely to the white man’s culture. Mrs.Rowell’s claim and Miss Evans acceptance of this ideology reveals that the American missionary society believes that they are above these Native American “heaths”. Furthermore, in Gretchen Ronnow’s, “Native American Writers of the United States”, Ronnow declares, “He [John M. Oskison] often juxtaposes issues without indicating his own opinion about them: traditional values versus mainstream values, formal education versus the teachings of Native American elders, intermarriage versus separatism… (254).” The relation between American settlers (in this case, the missionaries) and Native Americans is enlightened since Oskison has been exposed to both cultures as a Cherokee American by birth. Therefore, Oskison works are based upon his observations growing up. Overall, from the perspective of Oskison and history, it is easy to prove that Americans believed their ways to be better. With this understanding, it is not surprising that Mrs.Rowell and Miss Evans would treat Harjo with contempt and believe themselves to be
In George E. Tinker’s book, American Indian Liberation: A Theology of Sovereignty, the atrocities endured by many of the first peoples, Native American tribes, come into full view. Tinker argues that the colonization of these groups had and continues to have lasting effects on their culture and thus their theology. There is a delicate balance to their culture and their spiritual selves within their tightly knit communities prior to contact from the first European explorers. In fact, their culture and spiritual aspects are so intertwined that it is conceptually impossible to separate the two, as so many Euro-American analysts attempted. Tinker points to the differences between the European and the Native American cultures and mind sets as ultimately
Professor and poet Deborah A. Miranda, pieces together the past and uncovers and presents us with a story--a Californian story--in her memoir, “Bad Indians.” Her use of the Christian Novena, “Novena to Bad Indians,” illustrates the irony of using the form of her oppressors as a call out for help, not to God, but to her past ancestors. We tend to think of religion as a form of salvation and redemption of our lives here on Earth, in which we bare down and ask for forgiveness. But by challenging this common discourse using theological allegories and satirical terminology, Miranda turns her attention away from a Deity to call the reader out for help. It is crucial to recognize the struggles that the Native community currently face. Californian Indians are often not given recognition for their identity and their heritage, and are also repeatedly stereotyped as abusive, alcoholic, uncivilized, and “freeloaders” of the United States government. Such generalizations root back from European colonization, nevertheless still linger in our contemporary society. Miranda has taken the first step forward in characterizing few of these stereotypes in her Novena, but she’s given her story. Now what are we going to do with ours? It’s up to us to create our
In “A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson,” Mary Rowlandson, a Puritan mother from Lancaster, Massachusetts, recounts the invasion of her town by Indians in 1676 during “King Philip’s War,” when the Indians attempted to regain their tribal lands. She describes the period of time where she is held under captivity by the Indians, and the dire circumstances under which she lives. During these terrible weeks, Mary Rowlandson deals with the death of her youngest child, the absence of her Christian family and friends, the terrible conditions that she must survive, and her struggle to maintain her faith in God. She also learns how to cope with the Indians amongst whom she lives, which causes her attitude towards them to undergo several changes. At first, she is utterly appalled by their lifestyle and actions, but as time passes she grows dependent upon them, and by the end of her captivity, she almost admires their ability to survive the harshest times with a very minimal amount of possessions and resources. Despite her growing awe of the Indian lifestyle, her attitude towards them always maintains a view that they are the “enemy.”
In Thomas King’s novel, The Inconvenient Indian, the story of North America’s history is discussed from his original viewpoint and perspective. In his first chapter, “Forgetting Columbus,” he voices his opinion about how he feel towards the way white people have told America’s history and portraying it as an adventurous tale of triumph, strength and freedom. King hunts down the evidence needed to reveal more facts on the controversial relationship between the whites and natives and how it has affected the culture of Americans. Mainly untangling the confusion between the idea of Native Americans being savages and whites constantly reigning in glory. He exposes the truth about how Native Americans were treated and how their actual stories were
of Native American Culture as a Means of Reform,” American Indian Quarterly 26, no. 1
The oral history format dictates a first person presentation which, in a religious text, creates an urgency and connection to the events unfolding in the story. The stories combine to present a tale of folly, loss, sin, forgiveness, and resurrection. In the Introduction to Arthur C. Parker’s translation of The Code of Handsome Lake, the influence of Christian mythology becomes evident. The story of “How the White Race Came to America and why the Gaiwiio Became a Necessity” is included in the Introduction. Therein, Handsome Lake explains that post-invasion the “Creator was sorry for his own people [the Native Americans] whom he had molded from the soil of the earth of this Great Island.”8 The sentiment echoes the island from the Iroquois creation myths and the creation of Adam from the earth in the Christian creation
Christian morales advocate equality within man. The intention is to treat human beings as you would yourself; a hierarchy does not dictate your social class. However, this was not the case during the 1830’s, where Christian white men barbarically mistreated Native Americans. In William Apess’ essay “An Indian 's Looking-Glass For The White Men” he contradicts the Christian faith. Apess was a profound Methodist minister, author, and religious leader who lived in Massachusetts. Using his vast expertise on religion with pious homilies, Apess intricately highlights the injustice towards Native Americans in his sermon. Furthermore, Apess is propitious for Native Americans; he argues in favor for them and feels compassionate towards their struggles. Apess questions “Now I will ask, if the Indians are not called the most ingenious people amongst us? And are they not said to be men of talents?” (667). Apess insists that Native Americans are actually clever people, with innovation, and a developed cognitive. However, Apess points out the hypocrisy in the Christian faith, contradicting Christian beliefs that the white men supposedly “upheld.” Using coherent arguments, Apess provides a great perspective of a Native American
Alexie's poem "How To Write the Great American Indian Novel" blends several dilemmas at once. Underlying to the poem and the act of writing the `Great American Indian Novel' is the awareness in all Colored people of a catch-22: that they are seen solely as a reflection of how White America views them. In the case of the Native American they are either seen as a less-than-articulate `Noble Savage'/ mystic, a caricature who greets white men with a monosyllabic `How', or a brute savage/ reservation drunkard. Likewise, the Native American is expected to feel shame for the stereotypes that have been thrust upon him; regardless of whether individuals of the dominating culture take stock in the accepted stereotypes or not, the Native American still feels critical eyes on him always, and senses the act of be labeled. If he tries to configure himself into the dominating culture, and comply with the set standards of Whites he is then seen as a `a credit to the race', an `apple Indian`, and a `sellout`, poorly imitating White culture without truly fitting in. Similarly, any Native American who does not try to comply with the standards of White culture is at risk of playing into the brutish, reserv...
In An Indian’s View1805, the recollection of the great Indian orator Red Jacket, on the arrival of the white people, can be taken as the beginning of the end of the Native American Indian way of living and culture. As he states in his speech to the missionary Reverend Jacob Cram, “But an evil day came upon us; your forefathers (the Europeans) crossed the great waters, and landed on this island. Their numbers were small; they found friends, and not enemies; they told us they had fled from their own country for fear of wicked men, and come here to enjoy their religion.” As the Indians eyes are opened and their ears are ready to listen to the truth of the white people, and not be fooled by falsehoods of friendship. They begin to see that the words the white people
The conventional image that comes to mind when talking about the native Americans during the period of the building of the new world is brutal. The term “savage” is most closely associated with them and their practices at the time. It is important, as mentioned in P’s class, to remember that all the information we have on native Americans is what had been provided by the settlers. Therefore when studying the autobiography of Mary Rowlandson during her captivity, observing the actions of the native Americans, beyond Rowlandson’s descriptions gave more insight into what the atmosphere at the time was. It is also important to note that the Puritans,
On arrival, the missionaries could barely comprehend the tribe. They had very little understanding of their culture, beliefs, and rituals the tribe admires. It seemed inept that they were willing to proclaim that the villagers’ beliefs were false. “The missionary told them that they worshipped false gods, gods of wood and stone.” They could not even distinguish that this also was a successful community, which works well under its method of divine law.
Religion played a big part in early American literature, mostly due to the fact that religion was a big aspect in early American settlement. The more people who decide to emigrate from England to America, along with them came the ideas of which religions was the religion that all others should follow. Early American literature written is a key for more insights on the knowledge of what and how exactly religion influenced the English writer’s life. Mary Rowlandson, the writer of A Narrative of the Captivity and Restoration of Mrs. Mary Rowlandson, writes how her life was influenced during her captivity of the Native Americans. June 20, 1675 began the first of many attacks on colonial settlements that lasted until August 12, 1676. These series
Sherman Alexie’s novel, The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian, peruses the life on the “rez” and the inner conflict of a Native American boy’s decision to break free from the constraints put on Native Americans and live a fulfilling life far expected of a kid on the reservation, by conforming to a “white culture”(Alexie Pg. 42). Throughout the novel, Alexie emphasizes Native American life to be a culture based off of addiction, poverty, and death. (Alexie Pg. 43) Although the novel contains the harsh reality of reservation life, Junior is the one ray of hope that proves despite all social expectation heavily set on the Native Americans, it can all be disbanded and proven there is still some hope and joy awaiting if you are willing
In Ten Little Indians, Sherman Alexie analyzes a complexity of both European American Culture and Native American Culture and tries to make all cultures more than just a stereotype by challenging three types of assumptions: assumptions of generalization where a Native American has pre-conceived notions about white people, assumptions of expression where a sex toy is being used as a medicine stick, and assumptions of identity where the scope of sin in humanity during a time of terror is questioned.
This belief was an important aspect of a Native’s life at the time and this central belief is the focus of the Native’s customs. They believe that everything that lives on this earth has a purpose to aid with their survival and the Great Spirit did all of it as an act to express his love for his red children. The Natives have immense pride in this belief, but the American settlers ignored their honor and tried to persuade the Natives to adopt their Christian customs and leave their own beliefs behind. They are ignorant of the Native customs and tries to convince them that the Christian God is better than the Great Spirit. The Natives realize, however, that the Christian beliefs are not in their favor as the Christian “God is not [their] God. [The Christian] God loves [the Americans] and hates [the Natives]... He has forsaken his red children- if they really are His...The white man’s God cannot love [the Natives] or He would protect them” (The Sacred Soil by Chief Seattle 1). The act of trying to convince the inaccuracy of the Native customs displaces to amount of disrespect the American settlers have towards the Natives. They try to replace the “false” beliefs with Christian beliefs that are not applicable to the Native lifestyle. They