The+Dead+Man's+Plum+Bush

Summary: All of the village people are going to this feast, which celebrates the return of a young brave, and his warrior rank. Zitkala-Sa learns customs like how older relatives escort young girls to the fest and she learns to be patient. Zitkala-Sa saw her suffering mother in law and she felt sham because she had not thought of her before then. She ran ahead of her mom and tried to pluck a plum from a plum bush. As she was reaching out her mother stopped her and told her to never pluck a single plum from this bush. Zitkala-Sa's mother tells her that the plum bushes roots are wrapped around a dead warrior and she now thinks that the fruit is forbidden. Whenever she passes the plum bush she grows silent and she hears a long-drawn-out whistle from the roots of it.

Analysis: The symbolism of this chapter is that Zitkala-Sa's village cares about the history of their relatives and warriors. The warriors fight for freedom just like how we fight for freedom and democracy. She learns customs of her village just like how some families have traditions. One of my traditions is that every thanksgiving we go to New York and see my family. She has not thought of her stepmother in a while and that is why she feels shame. Her mother teaches her about spirits and the story about the dead warrior. "But mother I want to taste the plums." She was curious just like all younger children and that made to so she wants to try them even more. "My child learn to wait." This quote states that Zitkala-Sa needs to learn how to be patient and I realized that their parenting is a lot like ours. The forbidden fruit represents the apple that Adam and Eve must not eat but they do in the Garden of Eden. In this chapter you also learn that they believe in spirits and proper burial rituals. Her mother said "never pluck a single plum from this bush, my child, for its roots are wraped around an Indans skeleton. A brave is buried here." This quote means that they are respectful to the dead just like how it is rude to run on graves at a cemetery.

By:Eli Hemes

Summary: This chapter starts with all of the people in the village going to Haraka Wambdi's wigwam for a feast. The feast is celebrating Haraka Wambi's new warrior status, which he earned in the last battle. Zitkala-Sa was in a rush to go to the feast and she asked her mother why she cooked a small duck over the fire when they were invited to a feast? Her mother responded "My child learn to wait. On our way to the celebration we are going to stop at Chanyu's wigwam. His mother in-law is ill and I think she would like a taste of this game." Zitkala-Sa felt bad about forgetting the old women but she didn't dwell on the thought as she ran ahead to the feast. On the way to the wigwam Zitkala-Sa stopped at a plum bush for a taste of the fruit. As she went to pick a plum her mother stopped her and told her that the plum bush's roots were rapped around the skeleton of an Indian brave. She went on to say the brave loved playing striped plum seeds so much that he was buried with his seeds when he died and up sprang the bush. Zitkala-Sa eyed the forbidden fruit for a moment then walked of towards the feast. From then on Zitkala-Sa only spoke in whispers as she passed the bush and as she did she heard a whistle of the departing spirits come up from the roots of the bush.

Analysis: During this chapter the forbidden fruit, which the plum bush bears, symbolizes the apples in the Garden of Eden. Zitkala-Sa can't pick the fruit just like Adam and Eve couldn't pick the apples. Then you can make the connection that Eden is a utopia, which means the Zitkala-Sa is saying her Indian village is a perfect place without any problems. I think the village is perfect because they have everything they need to survive because they live of the land. They also don't have to deal with all the problems mainstream society has like paying bills, buying food and getting jobs. But I think people in American society wouldn't see the village as perfect, they would see it as uncivilized and try to change it. That's why the missionaries are taking Indian children to schools, to make them civilized. Also in this chapter it shows the honor the village shows their dead. "Never pluck a single plum from this bush, my child, for it's roots are wrapped around an Indian skeleton. A brave is buried here." Zitkala-Sa's mother won't let Zitkala-Sa pick any plums out of respect for the dead warrior. Also there is respect shown to the sick and old people in the village when Zitkala-Sa's mother says "My child learn to wait. On our way to the celebration we are going to stop at Chanyu's wigwam. His aged mother-in-law is lying very ill, and I think she would like a taste of this small game." This shows that Zitkala-Sa's mother and probably others in the village care about everyone in it. This respect for the dead and elders reminds me of ancient China. The ancient Chinese would worship their elders, which is similar to the great respect elders get in the village. Also the ancient Chinese and Egyptians would bring their things with them when they died just like the Indian warrior was buried with his plum seeds.

By: Dominic Tannoia

Summary:: In the beginning of the chapter people were on their way over to Haraka Wambdi's wigwam for a feast. Wearing painted faces and wearing elks teeth. Zitkala-Sa and her mother are on their way when Zitkala-Sa asks "Mother, mother, why do you stop to cook a small meal when we are invited to a feast?" And her mother just answers her "My child, learn to wait. On our way to the celebration we are going to stop at Chanyu's wigwam. His aged mother-in-law is lying very ill, and I think she would like a taste of this small game." Then just remembering this ill women she felt a momentary shame. Zitkala-Sa ran ahead and was about to pick a plum from a plum bush nearby, when she hears a "Sh!" from her mother and dropped her hands to her side in disappointment. Her mother sees this and says "Never pluck a single plum from this bush, my child, for its roots are wrapped around an Indian's skeleton. A brave is buried here. While he lived, he was so fond of playing the game of striped plum seeds that, at his death, his set of plum seeds were buried in his hands. From them sprang up this little bush."

Analysis:: The plum bush symbolizes the forbidden fruit from the apples in the Garden of Eden. Zitkala-Sa could not pick the fruit and Adam and Eve could not either. When this comparison is made some think of the Garden of Eden as a place of perfection. So basically Zitkala-Sa is saying that her childhood of the Indian Village is perfect. Its perfect because they have great stories to tell children. Also food for everybody, they have barely any problems with the outside world.

Chelsea Lynn Whittemore❤