Betty Louise Bell's In The Hour Of The Wolf
Multi-Cultural Exam One
In the short story “In the Hour of the Wolf” (1949), Betty Louise Bell asserts that Native Americans have to be assimilated into the mainstream white culture which causes them to have serious identity crisis issues. When the Indian’s leave their tribe, it puts a major strain on how they perceive their old traditions which molds them to be all alike white people. This short story supports the claims of how inferior Indian’s feel to white people because of the emphasized comments about white people doing certain things that Indian’s do not do. Bell’s intent seems to challenges readers to see how ridiculous it is that assumptions are made about each of the white and Indian’s cultures. Her purpose is to make us aware of how Indian’s feel like outsiders when entering the mainstream world. The author also uses the parent-child relationships to display the importance of cultural differences in an Americanized setting. Each metaphorical way of describing spirits alludes the readers to learn to respect the Indian’s beliefs. By examining the beginning it’s evident that the Indian’s rely heavily on trying to carry out their traditions. The story begins with a very sick mother in the hospital and her daughter Lucie …show more content…
The first stanza compares love to sticky raisins which is a negative image of poverty with absolutely no food in the house other than raisins. When the complaining of the child happens the child instinctively wants to be the white kid that has regular food, regular family, and a regular life. It is in this moment of no pride for who this Indian child is that his mother slaps him across the face. First of all, the child disrespected the mother and she would never put up with that. Each stanza is emotionally giving and this style of poetry opens Diaz up to the
In the short story “In the Hour of the Wolf” (1949), Betty Louise Bell asserts that Native Americans have to be assimilated into the mainstream white culture which causes them to have serious identity crisis issues. When the Indian’s leave their tribe, it puts a major strain on how they perceive their old traditions which molds them to be all alike white people. This short story supports the claims of how inferior Indian’s feel to white people because of the emphasized comments about white people doing certain things that Indian’s do not do. Bell’s intent seems to challenges readers to see how ridiculous it is that assumptions are made about each of the white and Indian’s cultures. Her purpose is to make us aware of how Indian’s feel like outsiders when entering the mainstream world. The author also uses the parent-child relationships to display the importance of cultural differences in an Americanized setting. Each metaphorical way of describing spirits alludes the readers to learn to respect the Indian’s beliefs. By examining the beginning it’s evident that the Indian’s rely heavily on trying to carry out their traditions. The story begins with a very sick mother in the hospital and her daughter Lucie …show more content…
The first stanza compares love to sticky raisins which is a negative image of poverty with absolutely no food in the house other than raisins. When the complaining of the child happens the child instinctively wants to be the white kid that has regular food, regular family, and a regular life. It is in this moment of no pride for who this Indian child is that his mother slaps him across the face. First of all, the child disrespected the mother and she would never put up with that. Each stanza is emotionally giving and this style of poetry opens Diaz up to the