The School Days Of An Indian Girl Analysis

Gertrude Simmons Bonnin was born on the Yankton Sioux Reservation in South Dakota as a Yankton Sioux native (nrcprograms.org). When she was eight, she was sent to White’s Manual Labor Institute, a Quaker missionary school in Wabash, Indiana (britannica.com). Their Gertrude went though many difficult trials to learn the ways of the paleface people (white people). Gertrude was not given the proper respect she deserved as a Native American Indian girl. The palefaces were ignorant to the Native American’s way of life and because of this they had taken away many Indian’s spirits (Bonnin, 400, p.5). Gertrude’s spirit was taken away when the paleface had cut off her long braids (Bonnin, 400, p.5). I believe that Gertrude decided at that moment not to give up and show the palefaces that she was capable of going beyond her sorrows. Which leads to the theme of the story in “The School Days of an Indian Girl” (Bonnin, 397) . Furthermore, that message is no matter how many obstacles come your way do not give up, and it can be figured out because of the way the author used the setting, the author’s style of tone, and the character traits of the author to show how she was
I have learned that if you believe in yourself you can do anything. Gertrude Simmons Bonnin was able to overcome so many difficult live changing obstacles only because she did not give up. I want to have her strength and courage to overcome all my problems in life I have right now, so that I can be successful in life. I am glad that I read this story so that I could have a better perspective on how hope and perseverance help you to become a stronger person. I know that I am going to see life in a different way now. I will see all my problems as a way to make me stronger by figuring out a way to overcome them. If you believe in yourself and do not give up you will be like a diamond made out of coal under good pressure (unknown