by Zitkala-Sa and Bama
First-hand accounts of prejudice, oppression and injustice from two different cultures and corners of the world.
“But if we study and make progress, we can throw away these indignities.”
Answer the following questions:
1) The two accounts that you read above are based in two distant cultures. What is the commonality of theme found in both of them?
The two accounts are from vastly different and distant cultures and parts of the world. Both are autobiographical extracts by renowned writers who look back at their experiences of discrimination and injustice they faced during their childhood.
The common themes found in both of them are of oppression, indignity, suffering and persecution faced by the two authors in the early years of their life. The first account by Zitkala-Sa speaks of the forceful enrolment of the Native Americans in the Carlisle Indian School, and subsequent domination of those people there. Her being stripped off of her blanket, stiff shoes, close-clinging dresses symbolize the tightening grip of the authorities on the freedom of the people of her community. The second account by Bama deals with the effects of the Indian caste system and untouchability. Author and her community have been deemed to be untouchable and denied a position of respect only because of their birth in a lower caste.
Another commonality we can detect in these accounts is the response of both the authors towards such treatment. Both of them possessed an attitude of resistance and rebellion against such discriminating and unjust systems. Zitkala-Sa did not submit easily against the cutting of her hair, while Bama was infuriated when Annan told her the truth.
2) It may take a long time for oppression to be resisted, but the seeds of rebellion are sowed early in life. Do you agree that injustice in any form cannot escape being noticed even by children?
Children have innocent minds and they are not used to the so-called ways of the world. Things are all fair and fine for them until they grow up and acquire discriminatory ideas from others. Moreover, they are keen observers and begin their life in the midst of experiences of innocence, generosity and love. When something unusual or unpleasant happens, even the slightest occurrence cannot escape their notice. They try to resist, because they have not yet relented to such systems of the world.
In the two accounts mentioned in the prose, Zitkala-Sa was forced to follow strict discipline and stark oppression in the Carlisle Indian School. She, along with other children of from other tribes, was stripped off of her individual identity. Even they were compelled to give up the ways of their community and adopt the new ones as commanded. Moreover, she wanted to hang on to the values and ideas she had learned earlier. She could not bear having short hair as that was a sign of cowardice or of an unskilled or captured warrior. The cutting of her hair and her resistance marked the ignition of a spark that would later turn into a fire.
Bama at first was amused when she looked at the elderly man holding the packet of vadai in a strange way. She was enjoying the moment in all her innocence. However, when Annan told her the truth, she was infuriated. She wanted to touch that vadai and challenge the landlord to eat them then. This was a symbolic gesture that illustrated her rebellious attitude against the system of untouchability. She could not side with the fact that it was their people who did all the work and yet did not get the dignity they deserved. She followed the wise words of her Annan and studied harder. The account of the elderly man holding the vadai from the strings affected her deeply, and sowed the seeds of rebellion in her.
3) Bama’s experience is that of a victim of the caste system. What kind of discrimination does Zitkala-Sa’s experience depict? What are their responses to their respective situations?
Bama was a victim of the system of untouchability, and Zitkala-Sa suffered discrimination due to racial prejudice. She was sent to the Carlisle Indian School, because she belonged to the local Native American tribe. She was forced to abandon her individual identity and culture. There were many other Native American students in the school from other tribes as well. It was a systematic attempt to destroy their culture and identities in order to overpower and subjugate them. They were compelled to follow a strict regime where even the simple process of eating was done by formula. They were made to dress indecently with close-fitting clothes and stiff shoes, and even their hair was cut short.
Zitkala-Sa and Bama both responded with an attitude of rebellion and resistance to their situations. However, Zitkala-Sa was forced to relent as she was finally caught by several people after she tried to escape and hide. On the other hand, Bama became infuriated when she learned the truth about untouchability, and channelized that rage into determination. She listened to her elder brother, and focused on her education to rise beyond discrimination and stigma imposed by the society. Zitkala-Sa, though she had to submit at the given time, continued to pursue her resistance against the system. She finally got her voice heard loud and clear through her writings. She chose her talent and education as her weapons in this fight. Her works have criticized the Carlisle Indian School, the dogma and oppression she felt when she was young.
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