Introduction
The storyteller in Whitecloud’s narrative, “Blue Winds Dancing,” is a Native American student who lives in a society dominated by white people. This brief narrative illustrates the implications of a young Native American’s struggle to integrate into the white-dominated society within the context of American civilization. This conflict connects to how white people fought and defeated Native Americans to establish the world of the educated white man.
As the speaker seeks his identity, he struggles, making it more difficult for the narrator to identify with a single culture due to his divergent perspectives on the two. The narrator suffers from homesickness and longs to return home. He draws comparisons between the civilized white culture and his home in Wisconsin to support his reason for returning home. Education has played a vital role in the author’s understanding of civilization, enabling him to develop a different perspective on modern civilization.
The Narrator’s Definition of Civilization
The narrator’s notion of civilization is founded on a profound regard for the spiritual and natural realms, contrasting with the modern perception of civilization as being focused on material wealth and power. A civilization is a cultural and social development that often encompasses numerous locations and has undergone specific stages of technological and cultural advancement. According to Whitecloud, becoming civilized entails trying to fulfill every desire or never fulfilling any need (Whitecloud 2). It entails following the dictates of tradition and custom.
Civilization strives for decency so citizens can reside in peaceful and happy environments. He contends that a truly civilized society upholds the sanctity of life, acknowledges and values the interconnection of all things, and coexists in peace with the natural environment. This perspective emphasizes the importance of understanding and appreciating the ecosystem, rather than exploiting it for personal gain. It emphasizes creating solid connections between people and their surroundings rather than attempting to control the environment. Despite being alone, the protagonist is not angry; instead, he gets close to his destination (Whitecloud 1). The character left school, fled, and admitted to feeling lonesome upon returning to his home country.
Even though the protagonist goes alone, he experiences companionship in the beauty of nature, as reflected in the frost, pines, plants, and mountains. The narrator’s concept of civilization presents a more thorough and enduring approach when compared to the current notion of civilization (Whitecloud 3). The spiritual aspects of existence and the interactions between individuals and their environment are given significantly more weight in the narrator’s concept of civilization. In contrast to modern civilization, which usually disregards the natural world in favor of power and material wealth, he believes that a community is genuinely civilized when it coexists with nature and acknowledges the sanctity of all life.
According to the narrator, civilized society is captive, military, and in a race that knows no end. The narrator returns to Wisconsin in a last-ditch effort to figure out who he is. On his return trip, the narrator was filled with enthusiasm and joy, valuing the scenery’s abundance of natural beauty instead of the beauty of captivity he had experienced on campus.
Without a doubt, the narrator is more attuned to nature and his Native American heritage than to the culture of white civilization. However, as he approaches his house, he worries about not being welcomed due to the fear of being viewed as a stranger by his people (Whitecloud 4). He thought he would have to prove himself again, but this time to his people.
The narrator becomes more joyful as he approaches his house. He continued to doubt his identity as he drove to the resort. He realized he had discovered his true identity, which was Native American, the instant he imagined there was a woman beneath the ice.
Reasons for the Narrator’s Thinking
The narrator is cultured, having received an education. Additionally, he has lived in the city long enough to understand the differences between urban and rural life. The storyteller has, unfortunately, not embraced civilization. He laments that the monotonous operations of the vast city have caused him to lose the peace of a quiet life. The narrator demonstrates his displeasure with civilized white society and contends that being civilized in the white way involves doing the opposite and not caring about one’s neighbors (Whitecloud 2). Civilization means unhappiness, resulting in tension within the narrator, as he perceives how his upbringing and cultural background shape society.
The narrator’s involvement has shaped his views on the Taos Pueblo Native American tribe, a community with a longstanding tradition of respecting all life and living harmoniously with nature. He can better identify modern society’s flaws and disdain for the environment since he now understands what it takes to be genuinely civilized.
The narrator’s upbringing and cultural background impact how he views civilization. He is a member of the Taos Pueblo Native American tribe, which has a long history of protecting the environment, showing respect for others, and having a deep spiritual bond with the earth. He can better detect modern civilization’s flaws and disrespect for the environment since he has a unique perspective of being genuinely civilized (Whitecloud 2).
The importance of living in harmony with nature rather than trying to control it and the interdependence of all things are crucial elements of the narrator’s notion of civilization. He thinks civilization should be shaped by a profound reverence for the spiritual and natural worlds rather than by pursuing material wealth and power. This idea of civilization prioritizes respect and understanding rather than being built on exploitation and dominance. The narrator of “Blue Winds Dancing” is a young Native American who dislikes the restrictions and lack of freedom of living on a reservation. He struggles with his identity as he attempts to strike a balance between the traditional beliefs of his people and the principles of the civilized world in his life.
The author sees the reservation as a jail that restricts his potential and freedom and a refuge from the iniquity of the outside world. The civilized world causes the narrator to feel conflicted feelings. He recognizes the benefits of progress and technology but is also mindful of the damage they may cause to traditional civilizations and the natural world. He fights the conflict between his desire for independence and his responsibility to protect his people’s values and way of life(Whitecloud 5).
The narrator’s internal conflict is a microcosm of the battle between traditional and civilized beliefs. He is aware that things are changing and must adapt to survive, but he also recognizes how important it is to retain his culture and beliefs. His experience exemplifies the difficulties that many cultures face in the modern world.
Conclusion
The author’s idea of civilization has been greatly influenced by education, giving him a new perspective on contemporary society. The narrator deeply admires the customary way of life of his people. He appreciates their connections to the land and spiritual traditions in contrast to the consumerist and materialistic civilization of the civilized world. He feels compelled to stay and uphold his people’s traditions and culture despite his great yearning to flee the limits of the reservation. He is exceptionally proud of who he is and where he comes from, but he also recognizes the injustices that his people accept.
The narrator is conscious of the injustices endured by his people and feels a strong sense of pride in his identity and heritage. The narrator admits that although he must protect and respect the customs and culture of his people, he also yearns for the freedom to travel and enjoy all that the outside world has to offer.
Work Cited
Whitecloud, Thomas. “Blue Winds Dancing.” Geocities.