English Literature

Two writers offer an insightful interpretation concerning the historical heritage and cultural identity of Native Americans as referenced from their personal experience. In Indian Cartography, Deborah Miranda describes indigenous struggles as referenced through the apperception of her father, whom throughout his life, purportedly witnessed a tumultuous reality, subject to American colonization. Poignant, personalized and reflective, she establishes an immediate rapport with the Native American challenges, elucidated by the organic experience of her father during his young, precocious childhood. Conversely, Itch Like Crazy written by Wendy Rose, captures a generalized overview of Native American culture as witnessed from her surrounding experiences with others. While both poems assess cultural identity in relation to indigenous struggles, each one, Indian Cartography, a story about family survival against personal difficulties, and Itch Like Crazy, ones personal narrative depicting the tribulations of Native Americans, offers their own insightful perspective, independent and innovative from the other.

Mirandis Indian Cartography journeys Native American experience through the eyes of her father, whom at a premature age, witnessed unprecedented adversity, which became immediately familiar, like family blood lines, when, tragedy greeted him like an old unpleasant relative, (Miranda, Deborah, 133). From the beginning, he learned to swim the hard way, across silver scales, and persevere (Miranda, Deborah, 133). His history became personified as a family connection through his psychological experience. Indeed, rather than, descending into declivity, or drowning by a displaced river fraught with dark water, he transcended his perennial predicament, floating on his face, hopeful of the shadows that embody people he once knew, closing on the stories of our home, (Miranda, Deborah, 133). Mirandis poem, like Rose in Itch like Crazy, underscores the perseverance of Native American culture. However, Mirandi features indigenous struggle within the historical context of her fathers natural, individual experience, who overcame interminable personal turmoil. Hence, she connects to readers directly with transparent clarity through the metaphors of his unconventional journey, overcoming persistent prejudice, discrimination, and personal oppression. Furthermore, Mirandis allusion to family and familiar circumstances offers a direct contrast from Rose, who describes with devastation of strangers for whom she connects (Rose, Wendy, 135).

From a less organic interpretation, Wendy Welsh acknowledges the robust resilience of her people, who rebound, and rise from their death (Rose, Wendy, 135). Rather than reflecting on her own individual experience, or anyone immediately related to her, she presents a more generalized, universal analysis that assesses the historical narrative of cultural identity, witnessed through others. For example, she juxtaposes a comparison between the eyes of nearly everyone and Columbus, referring to Christopher Columbus. An incisive metaphor, she apparently perceives the Native American culture, as this group of explorers, embarking on their own expedition to achieve success in history (Rose, Wendy, 135). She notices these problems existing among, the fingers of every hand, as voicesamong strangers, summon her attention (Rose, Wendy, 135).

Two writers present a polyphony of perspectives regarding the personal struggles that embodied Native American culture. Whereas Deborah Mirandi explains the challenges witnessed by Native American culture through her fathers lens, Wendy Rose pursues a more estranged position, whereby she establishes connection through others who share her cultural experience.