In fiction and non-fiction, the core theme is perseverance, a vital element associated with the American identity. The portrayal of Little Breeches, a character in “The Soft-Hearted Sioux,” illustrates perseverance at difficult times. Little Breeches is tenacious and determined even in the worst situation of orphan hood. The narrator says, “He had been left to die in the wilderness, but he managed not only never to get hurt by it all.” In “The Soft-Hearted Sioux,” Zitkala-Sa’s Ohiyesa is a paragon of persistence as he grapples with challenges associated with accommodation and self; determination. Charles Eastman, more popularly known as Ohiyesa, is adamant about being a faithful Sioux even though he becomes an American man. His resiliency is revealed by the fact that he willingly combines his American-style lifestyle and heritage of Sioux to become an affluent and educated person. One of the passages that best illustrates Ohiyesa’s persistence is where he says, “I had become two men neither one would have known the other.”
The non-fictional character Fredrick Douglass is adamant and unshakable in persevering with his battle against slavery, as well as the rights of African Americans, through what he says between speeches and writings responding to “What does a Fourth July mean for the Slave?” His statement, “The man within me that no one can turn into a brute,” reflects this tenacity. Despite this brutal practice, Douglass wanted to be dignified and maintain his human identity. Despite their many challenges, resilience is an identity attribute of the Americans in Ohiyesa and Douglass. While Douglass is resilient against the cruelty of slavery, Ohiyesa’s cultural identity becomes a subject to resist blending into. Their stories show the tricky and unique features of the American identity when people do their best to adhere to the values and beliefs despite waves of insurmountable challenges.
Concerning a classmate’s evaluation of Ohiyesa, I agree that one of his greatest strengths is his determination to maintain his ethnic identity. The classmate brings out the duality of identity in Ohiyesa and the challenge he faces relating to his Sioux background regarding modern American culture. This perspective is convincing to me because it directs the readers’ attention to the psychological challenge many individuals, especially those sidelined communities, may face in defining their identities within a culture where homogeneity Alternatively, the real-life character from William Apess’s “Speech to the Osages” shows persistence in claiming their rights as Native Americans. Insofar as he is a Pequot Indian, Apess has to confront the outcasting and dispossession from the native lands of his compatriots.
He continues his activities, facing such challenges, passionately claiming that “humans have rights and cannot be deprived thereof without being injured. The white man has done me much injustice, and he has injured me (Apess, 1833, p. 110). This passage reflects Apess’s steadfastness toward fighting for the Native Americans and their justice despite the oppression. In terms of Douglass, another classmate speaks about the word’s force. Douglass’ ability to speak very eloquently and advocate effectively was essential in aiding the abolitionist movement. The quoted phrase, “The soul that is within me no man can degrade,” reflects the author’s internal battle with himself and speaks to his desire for freedom and equality. In conclusion, both peers provide valuable interpretations of the character’s persistence that speak about how these particularities underline identity and justice.
References
Apess, W. (1833). Speech to the Osages. Socorro Publishing.
Baym, N., & Levine, R. S. (Eds.). (2011). The Norton Anthology of American Literature: Eighth International Student Edition. WW Norton & Company.
Ellison, R. (1952). The Invisible Man. Vintage.
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