House Made of Dawn by N.Scott Momaday Term Paper

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House Made of Dawn by N.Scott Momaday - An Extension of Central Thematic Preoccupations in Sherman Alexis' 'Indian Killer'

This is a two and half page paper on two novels. 'House Made of Dawn' by N. Scott Momaday though encompasses various genre of autobiography, history, fiction, memoirs, and ethnography, this paper will strive to present an analysis of the awakening factor highlighted in the strong wordings of the author, as also depicted in the novel 'Indian Killer' by Sherman Alexis.

The awakening of the Indian literature of the Americans, more commonly known as the Red Indians, achieved its breakthrough in the writings of Momaday, in particular his first novel 'House Made of Dawn' written in 1969. House Made of Dawn also had the distinction of getting the famous Pulitzer Prize. The novel presents a detailed insight into the Native American life, through the eyes of an Indian caught between the two world, one which took him to Vietnam and his return as a veteran, and the other, his ordeals after commission of a murder felony. Momaday successfully attempts to bring out and awaken the literary world on the existence of a culture that had always been there for possibly thousands of years, but only through an occasional perspective from an anthropologist and/or a historian. The launching of the novel, 'House Made of Dawn' unfolded two very important aspects, one it strengthened the need for ethnic studies, and second equally important was the importance to the civil rights commitments of the 60s era. These two purposes were excellently served in the depiction of the protagonist, the character of Jemez Pueblo, his first presence in New Mexico, and secondly at an urban relocation center in Los Angeles after committing the crime of murder. (Roemer, 2002).

The depiction of other characters, such as Francisco and Reverend Tosamah too is suggestive of the evident and prevailing diversity on and about the Indian people and their culture. The first is both a staunch believer of the Catholic faith, and a medicine man for the tribal, and the second is the modern age preacher living in Los Angeles preaching the Native Indians on the Word of God and Christianity.

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Yet, the most important character is Abel is given the assignment of eliminating the growing difference between the Indian reservations where he and his ancestors grew up, and the city, which has trapped him, but all in vain. (Pinkmonkey, 2002)

In a similar thematic context, Sherman Alexes's Indian Killer too attempts to portray the same growing disparities, differences as well as the lack of understanding present in the American society for the Red Indians. Upon going through the novel, one might assume that it is simply a novel about an Indian serial killer out on the loose in the city of Seattle, hunting and scalping white men, kidnapping small children, the result of which is that the entire cit is in a state of frenzy and fear. To add mayhem to all this euphoria, there is this radio personality, a Mr. Truck Smith lashing out his racist venom at the Indian community with his latest versions on the killer's motives and movements. Other characters that form part of the same diversified role, for both the good and worse, as created by Momaday in his novel, 'House Made of Dawn', include John Smith, Marie, and Jack Wilson.

On the contrary, and also one of the most revealing and strongest links of Alexe's writings with the work of Momaday's 'House Made of Dawn' is the portrayal of controversial, relationships between the whites and the Indians, both of who though belonging to the same country, yet each has his own claim to the land they call their home. These disparities are successfully depicted in the white folks living in Seattle and the Red Indians as one case. The most important is that of young John Smith. John Smith was born on the Indian reservations, but grew up amongst a white family, after his adoption while still young. The author has portrayed him as an individual still in search of his roots, although he grows up and makes Seattle his permanent home. This is the….....

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