Study+Questions+&+Essay+Topics

__Study Questions__ Desribe the relationship between Zitkala-Sa and her mother at the beginning of the book and at the end of the reading. What Caused said change?

Zitkala-Sa grew up in a two person family. Her brother was away the first portion of the story, so Zitkala-Sa only had her mother to look to. Her mother was a strong women, and she tried so diligently to not let her daughter see her tears. Zitkala-Sa and her mother were very close at the beginning of the book, and Zitkala-Sa heeded all of here mother's warnings about the palefaces. and what they did. Of course her mother was right, but when the palefaces came to the village and told Zitkala-Sa about the fields of red apples, she couldn't stop Zitkala-Sa's adventurous spirit from wanting to explore and see the apples. Towards the end of the reading, though, Zitkala-Sá becomes resentful, and loses her faith with the great spirit for the Bible. This leads to her losing contact with her mother, who has tried to cope with the white men's ways. They are totally separated by the end of the reading.

Explain hypocracy, and how it occurs in the book.

Hypocracy is saying one thing and doing another. When someone tells you to behave a certain way, and they behave in the complete opposite manner, they are being a hypocrite. The white men in the story were amazingly hypocritical. On page 94, Zitkala-Sá's mother tells how "[The white man] is the hypocrite who reads with one eye 'Thou shalt not kill' and with the other gloats upon the suffering of the Indian race". This is the epitomy is hypocracy. They preach one thing, then do the complete opposite. That is one reason that Zitkala-Sá has resentment toward the white men; they don't put their money where their mouths are.

__Essay Topics__

1. Describe change in environment and how it relates to Zitkala-Sá's worldviews from when she travels from the physical west to east.

2. Compare Dawée's firing from his government position to how the Native Americans became displaced from their beliefs.

3. Discuss Assimilation and how it relates to the book. Is it always a bad thing? Explain. (I give full credit to Mr. J. for this question)

4. Discuss the pros and cons and becoming "modernized". What is given up? What is gained? Explain.

5. Is it better to be more knowledgable or happier? Back up your opinion with examples.