Introduction
The culture of any country is a generalizing concept for the forms of the vital activities of man, created by us in the process of evolution. Culture – is the moral and material values, skills, knowledge, customs, and traditions of the country. In this era of the technology the bonds that connect the people to the culture and history of their land are somewhat missed. In spite of the efforts of the government to influence the young people to cherish the history of their country, the most effective way that remains is the books.
In this essay the importance of stories in creating and preserving cultural or personal history will be analyzed. The basis of this analysis is the story of “The two sisters” from the book “Legends of Vancouver” by Pauline Johnson. The main concept of the essay can be divided between the importance of the tales to raise the sense of pride in own history which recently has been weakened by the modern influence and the language methodic used that keeps the story enjoyable to read, along with outlining the connection that still exists between the past and the present.
Analysis
The rich usage of descriptive language in portraying the nature is the first and one of the most important points that should be mentioned about this story. Even for someone who visited the places described in the book, he would wish to revisit them when reading about “slanting rains festoon scarves of mist about their crests, and the peaks fade into shadowy outlines, melting, melting, forever melting into the distances.”(Johnson 7)
The language that the author used is so imaginative and rich that it could substitute images and photographs in tourism booklets. When reading about “the smoke of forest fires blurs them until they gleam like opals in a purple atmosphere” (7) the desire to witness the same view fills the readers with so much pride about their sightings that its aura of myth is already present encouraging to discover the story behind the peaks that are called “the lions” in the modern world.
The value of the historical names of objects is appreciated throughout the whole story and especially could be sensed through the words of the chief. When the chief who was already acquainted with the modern life did not know the name that was given to the peaks, implies that the historical connection is stronger than the modern influence. This connection was the reason to share this legend in this story with the author, who perfectly transferred the setting of past times to let the reader relive those events. The value of the cultural history of those times is reflected through the words “Indian law ruled the land. Indian customs prevailed. Indian beliefs were regarded.”(8)
Definitely the implication on the word Indian could not be explained as the tendency to return that time, but rather an emphasis on the words custom and traditions. Compared to the world today where people live according to laws, that time was ruled by customs and traditions, which might be rephrased as “the customs and traditions better deal with situations than modern laws.”
One of the aspects that modern society is trying to teach the young generation is the relation between the children and the elders which is perfectly demonstrated in the story. The appreciation of the role of the woman as a mother in the society could be taken as an example for imitation “She is honoured above all people”. (8)
It is important to remember the past and the way people back then coped with their problems although in a sort of allegoric way. It is obvious through the text that problems such as wars were present back then. The formula of peace that brings peace could be considered as the main thesis in which the story ended.
If thinking about the connections and the similarities of the present time and the times described in the book, we can see that the symbolical representation could be applied to the modern day. In such manner, Sagalie Tyee is the god or the highest instance of power, peace and brotherhood are self-explanatory, and the two daughters could symbolize the moral values. Therefore moral values gave birth to peace and brotherhood.
In addition, the call for nature which is presented in the text can be shown through the various usages of the times and descriptions, e.g. “my girls with the eyes of April, the hearts of June” (9), “seven suns before the great feast”(9), “many countless moons”(8), “the same springtime, when the first great run of salmon thronged the rivers”.(8)
All these references to the nature, although might not be originally by the author, she indeed managed perfectly the process of transferring them. This process of remembering the past through book reading can relate the reader at the same time to the nature; as such description gives stronger emphasis on the intended context.
Conclusion
From the previously mentioned analysis, it could be summarized that a colourful story or a tale is a better instrument to teach the young generation about their culture and history. Reading a book in history about Indian tribes can give the reader numbers and statistics, but only a book can make the reader relive those periods while creating and preserving cultural or personal history while the language elements that create the feel of the tale still make reading the book an enjoyable activity.
Works Cited
Johnson, Pauline E. Legends of Vancouver, the Two Sisters. Va: Hard Press, 2006. 7-10.