Fools Crow Essay

As readers, we have experienced the difference in the narrative style of James Welch from that of mainstream white American writers.  His use of Native storytelling themes and elements create a world and culture within novel that is wholly indigenous.  It also re-frames the standard understanding that is given in American History books covering the “American Indian Wars for Removal.” Welch brings us into the Lone Eaters community and lives in the 1870’s he opens up their world through the character of Fools Crow.  Through, Foolls Crow’s experiences in the varied realms of existence for the Pukunis (earth, between heaven and earth, heavens, vision, and dreams) and in his rapidly changing world we see an indigenous narrative about this time.

Indigenous writer and scholar Paula Gunn Allen wrote “Rather, it is the presence in narratives of regularly occurring elements that are structured in definable, regularly occurring ways, employed to culturally defined ends and effects that determines a work’s literary identity.” Allen provided this as a framework for understanding Native literature that weaves its way through Welch’s novel Fools Crow.

So, for your essay, find, identify and explain a regularly occurring element in Fools Crow that, for you, provides a narrative throughout the novel that portrays the indigenous narrative of the work.  You must therefore, use more than two main or sub plot points to provide examples of the regularly occurring element across the novel. Also, explain how you see these plot points/examples connecting into an element that influences the novel and creates the indigenous narrative.

For example, a regularly occurring element could be:

Journeys

Surviving and Enduring

Relationships between Fathers and Sons

Interplay of the sacred and the everyday

Clashes of culture

Or another you will find.

I discourage using the regularly occurring element of just Fools Crow himself because it is too obvious.  You must find your own regularly occurring element within this novel one that provides insight or meaning to the work for you. Basically, where you see the identity of the novel as a Native literary work.

The essay will be 5 to 6 pages in length. 

You will need to quote, quote often from the novel, therefore you will need to appropriately cite this in-text.  So, grab Hacker and Sommers, A Writer’s Reference, or use Purdue owl and brush up on your MLA citation, in-text and Works Cited page. 

Your paper will be formatted per MLA for headers, page numbering, double spacing, and 12 pt. Times New Roman typeface/font. ALso use MLA for the in-text citations. You will also include a Works Cited page at the end of the essay, even if the only source cited is Fools Crow.

Please create a title for your essay that is not Essay One.