Book Review: Life among the Piutes by Sarah Winnemucca
Karley Romish
English 249
Professor Read
17 October 2014
Life Among the Piutes
One could explore literature and easily say that American literature from the 19th century is beyond endearing. Through authors such as Mark Twain, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Walt Whitman, you can see just how far it has come. You get a very unique insight on the earlier culture and how society acted during this period. Although, as I have studied the works of these superior writers through this unit, I would have appreciated having read from another of America’s most well-known authors in history, Sarah Winnemucca.
In Sarah Winnemucca’s biography Life Among the Piutes, Winnemucca (A Native American princess of the Paiute Tribe.) shares with us her life experiences of Native Americans and their relationship with whites. In her book, she speaks about the rewards and punishments she had received as a female Native American activist. Sarah Winnemucca shows us her strength through the plight of the Paiute Native Americans. Readers can develop knowledge of discrimination towards Native Americans through historical events in which Winnemucca has recorded and given her unique perspective.
During the nineteenth century in the US, citizens faced a variety of struggles including immigration and segregation. In the book Huckleberry Finn, we become aware of the discrimination going on in this early epoch. The author, Mark Twain, addresses these painful American contradictions through Huck in an equal and rather “free” society. Huck chooses to ignore what society thinks and he decides to do what he feels is right. Huck says “I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn’t lonesome now.” (Twain 166) At this point, Huck no longer sees Jim as just a slave. Huck sees Jim as a kind of partner. Huck decides to save Jim when he is faced with an ultimate decision. He must decide between his conscience and what feels right to him. “I was trembling because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I
English 249
Professor Read
17 October 2014
Life Among the Piutes
One could explore literature and easily say that American literature from the 19th century is beyond endearing. Through authors such as Mark Twain, W.E.B. Du Bois, and Walt Whitman, you can see just how far it has come. You get a very unique insight on the earlier culture and how society acted during this period. Although, as I have studied the works of these superior writers through this unit, I would have appreciated having read from another of America’s most well-known authors in history, Sarah Winnemucca.
In Sarah Winnemucca’s biography Life Among the Piutes, Winnemucca (A Native American princess of the Paiute Tribe.) shares with us her life experiences of Native Americans and their relationship with whites. In her book, she speaks about the rewards and punishments she had received as a female Native American activist. Sarah Winnemucca shows us her strength through the plight of the Paiute Native Americans. Readers can develop knowledge of discrimination towards Native Americans through historical events in which Winnemucca has recorded and given her unique perspective.
During the nineteenth century in the US, citizens faced a variety of struggles including immigration and segregation. In the book Huckleberry Finn, we become aware of the discrimination going on in this early epoch. The author, Mark Twain, addresses these painful American contradictions through Huck in an equal and rather “free” society. Huck chooses to ignore what society thinks and he decides to do what he feels is right. Huck says “I was ever so glad to see Jim. I warn’t lonesome now.” (Twain 166) At this point, Huck no longer sees Jim as just a slave. Huck sees Jim as a kind of partner. Huck decides to save Jim when he is faced with an ultimate decision. He must decide between his conscience and what feels right to him. “I was trembling because I’d got to decide, forever, betwixt two things, and I