The Destruction of Black Elk
Cassie J. Escobar
English T/Th
9:40-12:50
9/4/13
The destruction of Black Elk Black Elk Speaks written by John Newhart is a biography of a Native American. In the biography Neihardt takes us thru Black Elk’s experiences as the Wasichus (white man) take over the land he lives on. The Wasichus have always been monsters to the Natives. Young kids see them as monsters that will get you if you misbehave and adults see them as merciless murders, due to the fact that they killed many Native women and children; Wasichus also took away culture and tradition from them. We can see through use of pathos, logos, ethos, and diction that Black Elks attitude toward the Wasichus was resentful. John Neihardt writes this biography because Black Elk came to him with the purpose of showing Americans both physical and emotional pain they’ve inflicted on them in desire to expand the United States. This biography isn’t only for sorrow; it’s of great appreciation to the Native Americans because this is the first of their stories that is actually being documented. Having written by a white man is of great importance because through this biography the readers see that Black Elk is hostile toward white men. Once the Wasichu comes back for the second time they begin to expand taking land from the Natives, forcing them to live in reservations where they are stripped away from their culture. For example the Natives are forced to live in square cabins rather than their spiritual tepees. Tepees are an important part of Native culture because they are circular it resembles the Power of the Earth, which to them is very important. “..all our power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation, and as long as that hoop was unbroken, the people flourished”. Neihardt (155) This shows the reader that the white men really took something that was a key element in their culture. The Wasichu also lied to the Natives by telling them there will be enough food for there entire tribe, which isn’t the
English T/Th
9:40-12:50
9/4/13
The destruction of Black Elk Black Elk Speaks written by John Newhart is a biography of a Native American. In the biography Neihardt takes us thru Black Elk’s experiences as the Wasichus (white man) take over the land he lives on. The Wasichus have always been monsters to the Natives. Young kids see them as monsters that will get you if you misbehave and adults see them as merciless murders, due to the fact that they killed many Native women and children; Wasichus also took away culture and tradition from them. We can see through use of pathos, logos, ethos, and diction that Black Elks attitude toward the Wasichus was resentful. John Neihardt writes this biography because Black Elk came to him with the purpose of showing Americans both physical and emotional pain they’ve inflicted on them in desire to expand the United States. This biography isn’t only for sorrow; it’s of great appreciation to the Native Americans because this is the first of their stories that is actually being documented. Having written by a white man is of great importance because through this biography the readers see that Black Elk is hostile toward white men. Once the Wasichu comes back for the second time they begin to expand taking land from the Natives, forcing them to live in reservations where they are stripped away from their culture. For example the Natives are forced to live in square cabins rather than their spiritual tepees. Tepees are an important part of Native culture because they are circular it resembles the Power of the Earth, which to them is very important. “..all our power came to us from the sacred hoop of the nation, and as long as that hoop was unbroken, the people flourished”. Neihardt (155) This shows the reader that the white men really took something that was a key element in their culture. The Wasichu also lied to the Natives by telling them there will be enough food for there entire tribe, which isn’t the