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In the short story, "Blue Winds Dancing," the narrator, a Native American, feels the sorrow of powerlessness because of the Whites' ignorance towards his Native American culture while he lives and goes to school in the White society. In the story, the Whites advocate "Cultural Absolutism," an ethnocentric approach that evaluates other cultures based on White American culture and regards that "their own cultural norms" are superior to other cultures (Howard 315). They do not respect Native American cultures and values.
The White Americans disparage Native American culture and have a stereotype that Native American culture has fallen behind. The narrator says, "But we are inferior. It is terrible to have to feel inferior, to have to read reports of intelligence tests and learn than one's race is behind. It is terrible to sit in classes and hear men tell you that your people worship sticks of wood--that your gods are all false" (88). Although they regard themselves as "civilized," they regard Native American culture as "uncivilized" (88). However, it is difficult to tell which culture, if any, is superior. The White Americans have their own specific culture, and the Native Americans have their own culture. The narrator feels the sorrow of powerlessness and unhappiness while he lives in the White society. He defines" being civilized" as "trying to do everything you don't want to, never doing anything you want to" (88). While the Whites make fun of his own culture, he feels peaceful and happy when he is in his Native American neighborhood and lives an environmentally-friendly life.
Even though he says "he is not ashamed of his culture" (90), he also thinks that White Americans are "civilized" and Native Americans are "uncivilized" because the Whites brainwashed him while he went to school in the White society and made him believe that his culture is inferior to their culture. Furthermore, in reality, White Americans are financially more comfortable than Native Americans. The narrator feels anger and sadness as he meets the Native American women who sell pottery on the boardwalk. He says, "I feel suddenly angry that my people should have to do such things for a living" (89).
The White Americans must think that their culture is superior to Native Americans because their social position and economic power is higher than that of Native Americans. However, economic power cannot be the standard of judgment that evaluates the superiority of culture. In the story, even some Native Americans, such as Alex, try to imitate the whites because they have been brainwashed to believe that the Whites' culture is superior.
The narrator, who has felt sorrow of powerless and has experienced identity confusion while living in the White society because of White American's view of "cultural absolutism," resolves his conflict and recaptures his happiness by coming back to his family and gathering together with his Native American neighborhood on the Native American reservation.
Works Cited
Howard, Rhoda. "Cultural Absolutism and the Nostalgia for Community" Human Rights
Quarterly 15.2 (1993): 315-338. Print.
The White Americans disparage Native American culture and have a stereotype that Native American culture has fallen behind. The narrator says, "But we are inferior. It is terrible to have to feel inferior, to have to read reports of intelligence tests and learn than one's race is behind. It is terrible to sit in classes and hear men tell you that your people worship sticks of wood--that your gods are all false" (88). Although they regard themselves as "civilized," they regard Native American culture as "uncivilized" (88). However, it is difficult to tell which culture, if any, is superior. The White Americans have their own specific culture, and the Native Americans have their own culture. The narrator feels the sorrow of powerlessness and unhappiness while he lives in the White society. He defines" being civilized" as "trying to do everything you don't want to, never doing anything you want to" (88). While the Whites make fun of his own culture, he feels peaceful and happy when he is in his Native American neighborhood and lives an environmentally-friendly life.
Even though he says "he is not ashamed of his culture" (90), he also thinks that White Americans are "civilized" and Native Americans are "uncivilized" because the Whites brainwashed him while he went to school in the White society and made him believe that his culture is inferior to their culture. Furthermore, in reality, White Americans are financially more comfortable than Native Americans. The narrator feels anger and sadness as he meets the Native American women who sell pottery on the boardwalk. He says, "I feel suddenly angry that my people should have to do such things for a living" (89).
The White Americans must think that their culture is superior to Native Americans because their social position and economic power is higher than that of Native Americans. However, economic power cannot be the standard of judgment that evaluates the superiority of culture. In the story, even some Native Americans, such as Alex, try to imitate the whites because they have been brainwashed to believe that the Whites' culture is superior.
The narrator, who has felt sorrow of powerless and has experienced identity confusion while living in the White society because of White American's view of "cultural absolutism," resolves his conflict and recaptures his happiness by coming back to his family and gathering together with his Native American neighborhood on the Native American reservation.
Works Cited
Howard, Rhoda. "Cultural Absolutism and the Nostalgia for Community" Human Rights
Quarterly 15.2 (1993): 315-338. Print.