The Readings and The Heart of the Chief

I finished the readings before starting the novel and was delighted to see all of the connections! Reese writes that certain books (pertaining to Halloween Native American costumes) make it seem like "anyone or anything can put on feathers and "be" Indians." This reminds me of the part on page 109 when Chris says, "Think of what it's like for an Indian kid to go to a school where they're dressing the other kids up in phony Indian costumes with eagle feather head-dresses made of paper and cardboard. You feel like they're making fun of your whole culture." Reese also brings up the point that, "any children's book that builds up one culture at the expense of another ultimately keeps racial tensions alive." The author of The Heart of the Chief, Joseph Bruchac, isn't asking for pity or repentance. When Chris' new friends tell him that they are sorry about the past, he reminds them that what we do now is just, if not more, important. The theme of Native American culture not being "extinct" is stated early on in the novel, when Chris is disappointed to find that they are reading The Sign of the Beaver. Chris explains his feelings. He knows how teachers like to use the book, but that it represents a time long ago and makes it seem like Indians are no longer part of the human world. "We didn't go away," Chris says (p.20). Happily surprised that Katie's diagram lacks the figures of Indian in the Cupboard, Chris tells the readers how annoyed he is of the book--another point that Reese includes of books that are not good examples of Native American literature.

Additionally I noticed the use of four in the novel, a point that Smith makes in her article. She informs readers that while three is usually a "magical" number for European-based literature (especially folk/fairy tales), four is an important number for many Native Americans: four winds, four seasons, etc. Bruchac also stressed the circular forms throughout Chris' experiences (circle of life comes to mind, complete with "Lion King" soundtrack blasting in the background).

Cortes' article is something that I will want to chew on for a while. It brings up very interesting points between stereotypes and generalizations. Educators really must be careful when discussing stereotypes, and in the media.
Connecting to this is the passage in the novel where Chris admits that he is relieved that Katie isn't a cheerleader. I wonder why Bruchac makes the stereotypical bully, Thumper Wheelock, an okay guy---but the cheerleader gal is still seen as something undesirable. Hmm...
I'll need to think on that for a while, too.