English 254
Native American Literature
Dr. Susanne George Bloomfield
Students opting for the “A” Contract must choose an extra
book written by a Native American to read in addition to the ones we are
studying together in class. It must be from the list below or one approved by
the professor. Many of the selections are available at most public or college libraries,
or a book may be ordered and shipped to you at no cost through the University
of Nebraska’s Inter-Library Loan department: http://unk.illiad.oclc.org/illiad/logon.html.
After
reading the book outside of class, students will write a review of it using the
following format. Please double space the whole paper; add section
numbers to each part; don’t begin a new page for each section; and add the word
counts for each section. Submit the Analysis in the Extra Book Assignment link
on the Class Menu.
The
Extra Book Analysis must meet the “A” standards or be revised until these
standards are met.
EXTRA BOOK
ANALYSIS
I. Plot Synopsis
Give title, author, original date of publication, publisher, and number of
pages. In your own words, briefly summarize the work.
(250 words)
II. Critical Analysis
What is the major theme of this
book? How does it portray Native Americans? Does it promote particular social,
political, or personal values? What part or for what purpose do American Indian
history, culture, and/or legends play in this work? Does the book exemplify any
universal truths? What is the relationship and/or
attitude of the characters to the land/the West? Are the characters, White and/or
Indian, well-rounded, human beings who are realistically depicted? If not, are
they romantically or stereotypically defined? Explain, giving specific examples
from the text to support your views. *Pick
one or two of the above ideas and explain in detail. Use quotations from the
work to support your interpretation (750 words).
III. Comparative Analysis
Compare and/or contrast this work
to another work we have studied in class. Possible areas for analysis might
include the authors' use of theme, symbolism, conflict, images, or character
development; their emphasis on historical or cultural aspects of the period;
their acceptance of or deviation from popularly accepted myths or stereotypes;
the sense of family and/or community; the emphasis on spirituality and
tradition; or their attitude toward nature and the land. Again, choose only one
or two areas of comparison and go into depth. Use quotations from both works to
support your comparison. (750 words)
IV. Reader-Response
What is your personal response to
the book? Is the book factual and realistic or romanticized? Was the plot
convention and predictable or was it original and creative? Would you recommend
this book to someone else? Why or why not? (250 words)
A FEW SUGGESTED
NATIVE AMERICAN WRITERS
AND SOME OF THEIR BOOKS*
Alexie,
Allen,
Paula Gunn (Laguna Pueblo/Sioux). The Woman Who Owned the Shadows
Bruchac, Joseph (Abenaki). A
Boy Named Slow: The True Story of Sitting Bull
Coke,
Allison Hedge. Rock, Ghost,
Cook-Lynn,
Deloria,
Ella Cara (Yankton Sioux). Waterlily,
Deloria, Jr.,
Vine (Standing Rock Sioux). Custer Died for Your Sins
Dorris,
Michael (Modoc). A Yellow Raft in Blue Water.
Eastman,
Charles (Wahpeton Dakota Sioux). An Indian Boyhood, From Deep Woods
to Civilization
Erdrich, Louise(Ojibway). Love Medicine, Beet Queen, Tracks,
The Bingo Palace, Antelope Woman, The Master Butcher’s Singing
Club
Glancy, Diane
(Cherokee). Pushing the Bear: A Novel of the Trail of Tears,
Stone Heart: A Novel of Sacajawea
Hogan, Linda (Chickasaw). Mean Spirit, Power
Hopkins, Sarah Winnemucca (Northern Paiute). Life
Among the Piutes
Howe, LeAnne. Miko Kings, Shell Shaker
King, Thomas (Blackfoot).
Kingsolver, Barbara (Cherokee). Animal Dreams,
Pigs in Heaven
LaDuke, Winona (Anishinabe). Last
Standing Woman
Louis,
Adrian (Lovelock Paiute). Skins
Marshall,
Joseph III (Lakota). The Dance House, The Lakota Way, On
Behalf of the Wolf and the First Peoples, Winter of the Holy Iron, Walking
with Grandfather, The Journey of Crazy Horse, The Day the World Ended at
Wounded Knee, Hundred in the Hand, The Long Knives Are Crying.
Mathews, John Jospeh
(Osage). Wa’Kon-Tah
Mcauliffe, Dennis (Osage). Bloodline:A True Story of Oil, Greed and Murder on the
Osage Reservation
McNickle,
D'Arcy (Cree/Salish/Kootenai). Wind from an Enemy Sky, The Surrounded
Momaday, N.
Scott (Kiowa). The Way to Rainy Mountain, The Names, House Made of Dawn
Mourning Dove (Okanogan/Colville). Co-ge-we-a
Ortiz, Simon (Acoma
Owens,
Louis (Choctaw/Cherokee). The Sharpest Sight, Bone Game, Wolfsong,
Red
Shirt, Delphine (Lakota Sioux). Bead on an Anthill: A Lakota Childhood
Silko,
Leslie,Marmon (Laguna Pueblo). Ceremony, Storyteller
Young
Bear, Ray (Meskwaki). Remnants of the First Earth,
Black Eagle Child: The Facepaint Narratives
Vizenor, Gerald (Choctaw). Bearheart:
The Heirship Chronicles, Earthdivers:
Tribal Narratives on Mixed Descent, Griever: An American Monkey King in
Welch,
James (Blackfeet/Gros Vent). Winter in the Blood,
Fools Crow, Death of Jim Looney, The
Indian Lawyer, Killing Custer, The Heartsong
of Charging Elk
Zitkala-Sa (Dakota Sioux). American Indian Stories
*For
plot synopses to see if the book would interest you or not, see A Literary
History of the American West (does not contain the most current writers but
it does discuss more classic ones) http://www.prs.tcu.edu/lit_west_full.pdf
or go Amazon.com or BN.com on the Web.
Standards
for an “A” Extra Book Analysis
1) Each section must clearly
address the suggested topic for discussion. In Part I, briefly summarize the basic
plot of the book. In Part II, choose only one or two of the discussion ideas
and explain in detail. Use examples and quotations from the work to support
your interpretation and analysis. In Part III, narrow your focus to one area of
comparison and/or contrast and go into depth. Support with examples from each
text as well as quotations. Be sure to add the page number for each direct
quotation using MLA format http://www.dianahacker.com/resdoc/pdf/Hacker-MLAupdates.pdf.
In Part IV, again narrow your focus
to one or two questions posed in the Personal Evaluation.
2) Each section must be
well-supported by appropriate scenes or dialogue from the text along with personal
analysis and interpretation. Quotations should be correctly and appropriately
employed; discussion should be unified and show depth and complexity of
thought.
3) Each section must be
effectively organized with an introduction and conclusion that unifies and
summarizes the material covered in the section.
4) Style should evidence mature,
non-clichéd vocabulary, complex and correct sentences, and smooth transitions.
5) Grammar and punctuation must
be correct with only a few minor flaws.