Cultural Destruction Essay

schooling of society has forced the Native conclusion to vanish due to the disclose their tradition has undergone in the past. The Natives were forced to adapt the ashen tradition sentiment it would bene set(p) them in the long-run. Both The Loons by Marg atomic number 18t Laurence and Compatriots by Emma Lee Warrior acquaint correspondent messages about the Natives. The main characters Hilda and genus genus genus genus genus Vanessa represent ignorance because of their stereotypical genius towards the culture. However, as Vanessa matures she goes by a authenticization and understands the sorrow and annoyance of Piquette and her tradition other than herself. Vanessas final understanding of Piquettes life and culture symbolizes the loons. Both short stories f each(prenominal) in the lack of experience and understanding the white society knows about the Natives.The perception that Vanessa classifies Piquette as shows how ignorant and shockable she is as a child. The knowl edge young Vanessa has about the Natives are based on stereotypes from her peers, which only consists of their physical show and territory. It seems to me that Piquette must be in the same way a lady friend of the timberland, a kind of junior prophetess of the wilds, who might im embark on me, if I took the amend approach, virtually of the secrets which she undoubtedly knew-where the whirlpool made her nest, how the coyote reared her young, or any(prenominal) it was that it said in Hiawatha (Laurence 112).This description of Native life shows the reader that Vanessa very has no clue what Piquettes life is like, she may blend in a forest but her secrets are dark and deep. Vanessa thinks that if she leaves Piquette with a better first impression then shed reveal those secrets to her. Young Vanessa most likely picked up this stereotypical judging from her surroundings, which is seemingly a vision from the white societys pull down of view. However, Vanessas perspective is limit ed because she is born as part of the white culture. Due to Piquette constantly brushing Vanessa aside when she attempts to be friendly kills Vanessas beliefs to what it means to be a Native. In addition, Hilda as well shows ignorance towards the Natives.Hilda also has an ignorant view of the Native culture. Hilda is importunate to learn about the Indians and their tradition as she follows Lucy around seeking for real Native experiences. She searches for Helmut in hopes of fulfilling her desire to understand the complex history and neo day reconstruction of the Native culture. I want to see him, Hilda said, I heard about him and I read a book he wrote. He seems to know a lot about the Indians, and hes been accepted into their religious society. I hope he can certify me things I can take home. People in Germany are really interested in Indians. They even have clubs (Warrior 171-172). Hilda believes that Helmut knows a lot of discipline about the Natives lifestyle due to the fact that he wrote a book about them and also dresses like them.Her being narrow-minded blocks the true perception of Helmut being phony because the Natives themselves are not concerned of their own culture. Shit, that guys just a phony. How could anybody yield into almostthing else? Huh? I dont think I could turn into a white man if I tried all my life. They wouldnt let me, so how does that German think he can be an Indian- theyre crazy (Warrior 174). This statement proves the inequality in our society amongst the Natives and whites, the option of ethnic change remains both socially and politically acceptable for those with privilege and power only. Although, young Vanessa and Hilda are perceived as ignorant, young Vanessa has an epiphany at the end of the story.As Vanessa matures, she goes through a sudden realization of everything that happened at Diamond Lake during that summertime with Piquette. Many things has cause Vanessas final understanding of Piquettes struggles as she reco gnizes her fathers effort to try to open up her perspective to the bigger world when she was a child, forcing her to leave her boundaries due to Piquettes stubbornness to express herself. The significance of her fathers effort becomes rich to Vanessa when she returns to Diamond Lake and sees the changes.The small pier which my father had reinforced was gone, and in its focalise there was a large and solid pier built by the regimen, for Galloping Mountain was now a national park, and Diamond Lake had been renamed Lake Wapakata, for it was entangle that an Indian name would have a greater appeal to tourists (Laurence 119). The brasss idealization ofthe lake shows how their ignorance connects with young Vanessa visualizing of Piquette as the daughter of the forest. Although, Vanessas knowledge of Piquettes life is much clearer, she suave doesnt understand the Native culture.Vanessa also realizes that hard to learn more knowledge and understanding about the Native culture throug h Piquette wont get her anywhere because Piquette is as clueless as her. She accepts that her understanding towards the tradition is not going anywhere further than what the white society views it. However, Vanessa acknowledges the effects the white society has done to the Tonnerres family and the Natives. Piquette had the lookout of an adult while growing up due to the struggles her family has undergone. The mothers not there, my father replied. She took off a few years back. pott say I blame her. Piquette cooks for them, and she says Lazarus would never do anything for himself as long as shes there (Laurence 110). The effects of hatred and diversity theyve gone through drove them into a dark hole of meagreness causing Piquettes mother to leave, which fully shaped her life. To cease racism, she marries a white man to attempt to acquire identity.For the merest instant, then, I saw her. I really did see her, for the first and only time in all the years we had both lived in the sa me town. Her defiant face, momentarily, became unguarded and unmasked, and in her eyes there was a terrifying hope (Laurence 117). Piqutte desperately tries to fit in with the white community that constantly rejects her and as a result, Piquette surrenders herself to them by marrying a white man to satisfy her craving to belong in the society. Also, another reason she marries a white man is because she refuses to let her children to go through the same treatment she experienced as a child. However, her keep up any left her or she left him, which drove her to alcoholism. Vanessa uses the loons as a symbol to represent the Native culture and Piquettes life.Vanessa uses the loons sadness and disappearance as a metaphor for Piquettes life. The government destroying the loons natural habitat represents the white society invading the Natives territory. The government spoils the wilderness, the most important thing they should value. It seemed to me now that in some unconscious and total ly unrecognised way,Piquette might have been the only one, subsequently all, who had heard the crying of the loons (Laurence 120). The white society misunderstood Piquette and her culture instead of embracing them. Piqutte is the only one who understood the crying of the loons due to the similar struggle theyre going through.Perhaps they had gone away to some far place of belonging. Perhaps they had been unable to find such a place, and had simply died out, having ceased to care any longer whether they lived or not (Laurence 120). The loons either died or left Diamond Lake trying to find another place to fulfill their needs because theyre forced to leave the society by ignorant people, just like Piquette and the Natives. In conclusion, the Native culture in todays society is scattered due to the destruction the culture experienced in the past. The white culture thought it was a good idea to get rid of the Natives thinking itll help them, but in reality it just made many lives mise rable. People are trying to revive the culture by learning about the tradition, but since it wasnt passed down to generations, people only practice the information they think they know.