Character+List+and+Analysis


 * Zitkala-Sa**: Zitkala-Sa is one of the main characters of American Indian stories. This book is written about her by her, an autobiography. She goes through many changes as the book progresses. She is caring, selfless, scared little girl. She is very excited about getting old enough to work on things important to her culture such as beadwork and she admires her older cousin who is already old enough to be able to do these things. When the white missionaries come they tempt her by telling her she can have big red apples and ride on an iron horse, things she has never done but really wants to.

As she grows up her views change and her mind changes. She goes to school in the white man's land and leaves her mother behind. She gets an education and comes back when she is fifteen. She goes back to school in the east in hope of finding where she belongs. She goes to college for more education and gets entered in a speech competition. She wins in spite of the flags of her opponents saying squaw, an Indian cur that degrades Indian women. She becomes very strong and independent as this happens, she does what she believes in.

In the very beginning of the book Zitkala Sa has a very strong sense of pride for her culture and wants nothing to do with the cursed palefaces that make her mother weep. When the white missionaries come she changes her views and wants to be part of the white culture and is tempted by the offers they make. When she is in the school she finally decides she does not like the way of the white man and she has no freedom and everything is structured and they are governed my bells. She doesn't like how they assimilate everyone and no one has any originality or freedom.

When Zitkala- Sa left for school she didn't want anything more than to go back and practice her own culture but as the time went on they tried to assimilate her along with everyone else. Although she did take in some of the new white man's culture she also still kept her own culture. Zitkala- Sa showed her mother that sometimes getting an education doesn't assimilate you but can only make you more independent and follow your own path.


 * Mother**: She is the mother of Zitkala- Sa. She seems to be very much against the wihte man, but at same time wants what is best for daughter, an education, but the only way for her to give Zitkala-Sa an education is to exopse her to the "ways of the white man." She is very much trobled by doing this, for she is worryed that Zitkala-Sa will lose her sence of "wildness", she is scared that she is going to lose her daughter to the white man, as she did her brother and other daughter. She cares about her family, one of the first things she says in the book is "Hush; my little daughter must never talk about my tears." She loves her daughter and cares deeply.She strongly believes in her Native American culture and hates the palefaces (whites). By the end of the book she has opened her eyes and is now reading the white man's bible. by Katie Murphy


 * Judewin**: She is one of Zitkala- Sa's cousin, one of her reasons for going east was because Judewin was going to school in the east aswell. She is a very helpful friend, and she understands some of the plaeface's words. She misunderstands the meaning of the word "no" but taught it to her friends hoping that they wouldn't get into any trouble. She wants to help but isn't so well at it. she is beaten for not understanding "no" because she thought that was the correct answer so it was not her fault and she was punished for being taught incorrectly.


 * Dawee**: He is Zitkala-Sa's brother and another reason why she wants to go to the school. He comes back and tells her mother that she needs to go, because of the education, and that is would be a better life style. He convinces ZS's mother to let her go to the paleface school and be taught by whites. He doesnt let ZS go to a party with him and she cries about that.


 * Elders**: The elders are the wise men of her Indian community and they are the consultants on spiritual and other dealings. One comes to see ZS's mother and she tries to make coffee for the elder but it comes out rancid but the elder drinks it anyway showing repect for ZS's efforts. The elders are highly respected and looked up to by members of the community