The+Ground+Squirrel

Summary- In the chapter titled The ground Squirrel Zitkala-Sa is helping her mother and aunt dry food for winter. They were in front of their wigwam drying crops. They are drying the food by placing it out on the ground all day in the sun. This will provide plenty of food for the winter. Zitkala-Sa was givin marbles by some missionaries. The glass sparkled in the light. One day she was walking with her mother and she saw ice that sparkled with light just like her marbles did and from then on she believed that her marbles had river ice in them. She found joy and pride in her marbles because they were precious to her. They were precious to her because they reminded her of home and they were given to her by the missionaries. Zitkala-Sa loved her aunt very much because of he cheerfulness and hearty laughter. Her aunt dried her tears when her mother punished her. In times of sarrow her aunt was there to help.

Analysis- From this chapter you can tell that Zitkala-Sa is thankful that her mother and aunt are there for her to guild her path. When she is sad about something she has her aunt to wipe away her tears for her. When she is lost on where to go with her life her mother is there to help her make the right disicion even though sometimes she does not lisen to her advice. Zitkala-Sa's aunt is where Zitkala-Sa goes to when she is feeling sad because she knows that she will care for her. "I loved my aunt threefold: for her hearty laughter, for the cheerfulness she caused my mother, and most of all for the times she dried my tears and held me in her lap, when my mother had reproved me." pg 34-35 Zitkala-Sa would go to her aunt when her mother had gotten mad at her because she knew that her aunt would baby her. Children do this to their parents when they know that their other parent will say no or an answer they don't want to here. For example a kid wants to go to the movies with some friends and has to ask. If he asks his mother he knows he will get a flat out no, but if asks his father he knows he won't care so he asks him so he can get the answer he wants to here. Zitkala-Sa's aunt also puts her mother in a good mood because of her cheerfulness. Zitkala-Sa knows that when her aunt is there that here mother will be in a good mood. So they all will have a good time because of her aunts joyful personality.