journal 38

Nika Bogoslovsky
3/14/08
Zitkala Sa

Quote: "I cried aloud, shaking my head all the while untill I felt the cold blades of the scissors against my neck, and heard then gnaw off one of my thick braids. Then I lost my spirit."

Summary: After learning that the pale face people will cut her hair, Zitkala Sa runs and hides under a bed. People soon find her and cut off her long beautiful Native hair that represents who she is and her culture. Afterwords, she feels cowardly, alone and spiritless.

Response: This scene really reminded me of the slave narratives, I think it was from Equiano, that we read last quarter. I remember we read about the instituation of slavery and how the slave owners would change their slaves' names and to slpit them up so they couldn't get any sense of self or remeberence of who they were. When they cut the Native American girls' hair and took away their clothes and blankets I think of those slave narratives and how both people in power were trying to take away the oppressed's identity from them. It's sad to think that even though these kids thought they had a great opportunity the two groups were probably treated very simularly. It's also really sad when she says that she loses her spirit because she's only a nine year old little girl and someone her age shouldn't be experiencing that. What's even worse is that a few days earlier, she was filled with happiness knowing that her mother was allowing her to go to this school.