Introduction
The idea of America has been disputed frequently, and in those arguments, Americans envisioned American culture, the nature of the American people, or even the country itself in several ways. The debate on Native Americans, for example, is vital: who they were, what they represented, and why they were important to America. The paper will examine four texts and find a connection to the Native Americans: “The Indian Burying Ground” by Philip Freneau, “To a Waterfowl” by William Cullen Bryant, “The American Scholar” by Ralph Waldo Emerson, and “The Tell-Tale Heart” by Edgar Allan Poe.
“The Indian Burying Ground”
Philip Freneau wrote “The Indian Burying Ground,” which reflects Native American burial customs. Freneau’s poem is renowned for emphasizing the distinctions between European funeral practices impacted by Christianity and Native American funeral rituals. He depicts in detail the movement that is still present in the Native American corpse, in contrast to the resting posture given to the European dead. For instance, Freneau writes: “The Indian, when from life released, shares again the joyous feast” (Levine and Gustafson 397).
By describing their customs and clothing, the author highlights how near the Native American way of existence and demise is to nature in its largely untamed and savage form. Their natural approach to life, particularly death, is seen as superior to that of the European world. For instance, Freneau describes the Native American: “His imaged birds, and painted bowl, and venison, for a journey dressed” (Levine and Gustafson 397). Thus, instead of seeking to civilize the Indians according to their thoughts and goals, the Europeans may have learned something from them.
“To a Waterfowl”
The second passage selected is “To a Waterfowl” by William Cullen Bryant. The speaker witnesses a duck fly across the sky and contemplates the connections between the bird’s long, lonely trip and the speaker’s life. Bryant uses metaphor to describe himself, yet the poem may also be associated with a Native American identity. The bird’s perilous trip also inspires the speaker to have faith in God, who, according to the poem, guides every creature through difficult circumstances.
William Cullen Bryant investigates loneliness and the meaning of existence. The speaker spends the poem praising the power and endurance of the waterfowl in the sky. The text represents one’s challenges in life, although the author asserts that they are “lone wandering but not lost” (Levine and Gustafson 490). This core lesson is relevant to Native Americans who know their solitary and wandering nature. Nonetheless, they are not lost, indicating that there is always hope, even in difficult times.
“The American Scholar”
“The American Scholar” by Ralph Waldo Emerson is a call to arms for American intellectuals to break away from European traditions and develop their voice and identity. While the piece of writing does not expressly address Native Americans, it does contain themes that are pertinent to the Native American experience, notably the value of nature. Emerson contends that the American intellectual must look to nature for inspiration and guidance. He claims that “the first in importance of the influences upon the mind is that of nature” (Levine and Gustafson 534). The natural world has the knowledge and power to inspire American scholars to greatness.
In addition, Emerson’s text might also be seen as a plea for Americans to reconnect with their indigenous cultural traditions, including Native American cultural practices. He emphasizes the significance of breaking free from European cultural influences and developing a distinctly American identity, which may be seen as an appreciation of the Native American cultures and customs that existed long before Europeans came. Emerson states that Americans had “listened too long to the courtly muses of Europe” and that it was now a chance for the new American scholar to articulate their ideas (Levine and Gustafson 545).
The author emphasizes that the rising and lowering of the sun, the arrival of night and the stars, the whirling of the wind, and the growth of the grass all demonstrate that nature is a constant, never-ending cycle (Levine and Gustafson 534). Nature is not chaotic, but it does include a law of unity, which is also a law of the human mind. Therefore, nature becomes “the measure of attainments” for people because the less they learn about nature, the less they understand their intellect (Levine and Gustafson 535). The past, encoded in or represented by literature, art, or any other human institution, is the second most important impact on the scholar’s mind.
Books and various writings play a crucial role in educating American scholars. Nonetheless, Emerson contends that books’ proper function is to stimulate man’s “active soul” (Levine and Gustafson 536). The significant relationship between man and nature culminates in transforming “life into truth” (Levine and Gustafson 535). Hence, the emphasis on nature resonates with the Native American worldview, which argues that people are an intrinsic part of the natural world and that interaction with nature is critical to well-being.
“The Tell-Tale Heart”
No apparent relationship is depicted between Edgar Allan Poe’s “The Tell-Tale Heart” and Native Americans. The plot is a fictitious psychological thriller that centers on the thoughts and actions of an unidentified narrator who becomes fascinated with killing an old man due to his “Evil Eye” (Levine and Gustafson 692). The narrative focuses on the narrator’s mental degeneration as he becomes increasingly captivated by his obsession.
The story’s central lesson is about the devastating force of guilt and the repercussions of attempting to ignore it. The narrator’s sorrow over his murder reveals itself in his heightened senses and the realization that he can hear the dead man’s heartbeat: “The beating grew louder, louder” (Levine and Gustafson 693). The guilt eventually pushes the protagonist to confess his crime, implying that people cannot avoid the repercussions of their acts.
“The Tell-Tale Heart” can be connected to Native American colonialism. For instance, the story may depict the psychological consequences of colonialism and the guilt that individuals who have engaged in acts of violence and oppression against indigenous peoples may feel. Colonization frequently involves forcible relocation, slavery, and killing, and these acts of violence have had long-term consequences for both colonizers and colonized.
As a result, the narrative might be seen as a metaphor for the guilt that people who have engaged in acts of violence and injustice may feel. The protagonist’s obsession with the older man’s vulture eye might be viewed as a symbol of Native Americans’ dehumanization. The narrator’s hearing the beating of the older man’s heart after killing him might be interpreted as a metaphor for the continued impacts of colonization and remorse.
Conclusion
To conclude, the four texts were examined in order to describe the significance of Native Americans in American history. “The Indian Burying Ground” depicts Native American burial rituals while emphasizing their wisdom and unique perspective on life and death. “To a Waterfowl” represents the people’s strength and perseverance. “The American Scholar” reminds Americans to rediscover their original cultural heritage, primarily Native American cultural practices. Finally, “The Tell-Tale Heart” might be seen as the ongoing effects of colonialism and guilt.
Work Cited
Levine, Robert S., and Sandra M. Gustafson. Norton Anthology of American Literature Beginnings to 1865 Shorter Tenth Edition. Norton, 2022.