Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid/Presentations

I enjoyed the movie greatly and doing the project with my classmates. I also enjoyed watching everyone's presentations and admiring the hard work that my fellow classmates put into their work. It makes me happy to be apart of Professor Sian's english class. :)

Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid.

The movie was very good and was quite memorable. I'm not exactly sure what all our project will consist of, but it's going to be awesome.

English Project.

For my group's project we are going to watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. I am really excited about watching the movie as I here it's a classic and right now Westerns are growing on me.

Paper #3

I'm not exactly sure what my topic for my third paper is going to be, but I would love to write about the film, Smoke Signals. Does anyone have any ideas of a decent topic that incorporates this movie?

Alexei

I think Alexei is a very interesting person and I agree on some of his views about his people. I think that someone should not write about another people's culture unless they have truly experienced that culture and can honestly write about them with as little basis as possible. I also think that his life really makes a great story and movie as we are experiencing now. I'm certainly excited about the rest of our readings involving him.

Smoke Signals.

The movie Smoke Signals is centered around Thomas and Victor. These two boys are linked because Victor's father saved Thomas when he was a baby during a fire that claimed his parents. The movie gives us flashbacks to the past and present and so far is pretty interesting and nicely told. My only pet peeve thus far is Thomas' character in the movie. He is very annoying. Personally I can relate to Victor a lot. We've both lived pretty hard lives, we're cool under pressure, and just take the world as it comes.

In response to Wendy Rose's poems.

In the poem Itch Like Crazy: Resistance, Wendy is describing what I think is white man's need for land. "When I see Columbus in the eyes of nearly everyone" is a really powerful line in the entire poem. It kind of sets up the poem up for being one that shows Wendy's distaste for non-Native and how they took from her what was hers.

Truganinny

For some reason Truganinny was a rather hard read for myself. The content didn't go over my head, but the way the content was displayed made me become uninterested thought out the whole passage. From what I made of the story it appears a women is about to die after a long life and is using her memory as paint and make us a nice canvas with them. :]

In response to Crimes Against Humanity.

This article deals with a Native Americans distaste for Native American names used as team names and mascots and how it is doing a dishonor to present and past Native Americans. Personally, like the article says I think it's not so much as a dishonor, but a way to honor the race that was almost brought to extinction many years ago. I think the names are fine and should not be something to get so upset over.

Note to a Culture Vultre and How to Write the Great American Indian Novel

These two novels greatly contrast each other. The first one, "Note to a Culture Vulture" refers to an Indian that is showing their disgust for being the "white man's burden." It is really sad and almost made me shed a tear. The other essay is one that is quite racist towards Indians and gives a rubric for what an Indian novel has to include in order for it to be legit towards the white man.

Brokeback Mountain

Brokeback Mountain is an interesting article about two cowboys living in the West and there travels across the wilderness. This article was kind of a hard read for me for a reason I can't place and there was a ton of cussing throughout it.

You see in this world there's two kinds of people, my friend. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig.

The end of the movie was amazing. We watch all three main characters come together in a final showdown of epic proportions. The music that was used during the showdown played beautifully into the scene. Each second we thought that someone was going to shoot, but no one did. Finally Blondie murders Angel Eyes and once again sets up Tuco and plays the old nose trick. While I wanted Tuco to live, I also wanted him to receive his share and live peacefully.

Tuco is the man.

"When you have to shoot, shoot. Don't talk"

After the third installment of the movie I am really starting to dig Tuco's character. After his near death experience during his capture I realized that he is such a bad ass. Not only has he cheated death several times throughout the movie, he also cheated death in real life during the railroad scene in the movie. Talk about commitment.

For my second essay, I think I might analyze Tuco's character in this movie.

The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Part Deux

This movie is slowly moving it's way up to my all-time top favorite movies list. In the second installment of the movie we are slowly learning more about "The Ugly's" character and we find out that he's not all that bad of a guy. We also find out that "The Good" is not exactly invincible and he also dies as he is lead out into the middle of nowhere. I can't wait for the third installment of this great movie.

The Good, the bad, and the ugly.

The beginning of the movie was amazing. The director did an amazing job of introducing the characters in such a way that I'm sure was unique to Western films of that time. I honestly have never been a fan of traditional Western films, but this movie is slowly changing that assumption. Clint Eastwood's character in this movie is one that I will begin to like and I think I may use him as the subject of my next paper.

Essay ideas.

I honestly think I have found my first essay topic and I am quite excited about that. I think for my first essay of this class I will compare the Native Americans to the blue people in Avatar. I think I can successful make comparisons to both groups and how they were prosecuted by pretty much the same people.

John Wayne Interview

After reading the Playboy interview on John Wayne I realized that he was much more than just a gun trotting cowboy, he was an international celebrity. I learned that he has been in an array of films and is not just a type-character as I had previously thought. He's had his fair of ups and downs, the downs being his addiction to alcohol and his experimenting of recreational drugs such a weed and opium. All in all, John Wayne was a good fellow and helped shape the Hollywood scene of the United States.

John Wayne

John Wayne is a celebrity of epic proportions. He has starred in several dozen western films that shaped the way our perception of the old west was. Not only that, but he's a legend among men and has one of the most known voices in all of Hollywood.

How to Play Indians(LOL)

In How to Play Indians, William Weaver gives a very stereotypical view on the role of Indians in Hollywood Western films. It's a very hilarious satire and the piece kept me up to my arms in laughter from the beginning. I'm not sure how yet, but I plan to include references to this piece in my paper multiple times.

Enter the Lone Ranger

This is, like many other television shows the most pivotal episode in the series. This is because it explains why the Lone Ranger is bringing order and peace to the West. It also explains why he wears his hat and that ridiculous looking mask. We are also introduced to Tonto, the Indian, and it gives us a little flashback that shows that the two men in question have something in common.

Essay topics/group discussion

Today we discussed several essay topics that are all potential game for our first paper. The topic that stuck with me the most and will probably be my topic for my first paper is comparing the movie Avatar by James Cameron to the American Government's treatment of Indians. I think I could write a 3-5 page paper on the subject with plenty of supporting ideas that will wow my professor.

While in our group today we discussed the dime novel California Joe in detail. We discussed how Joe was a "gold guy" yet had no use for money and could care less about it. Also we discussed how Joe survived insurmountable odds against the Indians each time and yet was murdered on his porch by an assassin. Talk about anti-climatic.

Joe.

In Joe at Bay, Joe has found a cave to hide in as he further eludes the Indians. While in the cave Joe cleans his weapons and dries off while waiting for the Indians to return. Eventually the Indians do find him and Joe once again kills a few and scares the rest of them away. The most important part of this chapter is what Joe comes upon when he lights a match in the cave...

In the next chapter it is revealed what Joe saw in the cave. Dead Indians, scores of them. The cave Joe had discovered was a burying ground for deceased Indians. Joe knew the Indians would try to come at him again so he uses the dead Indians as a decoy and sets them up so that they are standing up in a ghostly fashion. Just as Joe suspected the Indians were back and just in time for Joe's shows with the hanging Indian corpses. Joe's show worked and the Indians high tailed it out of the cave.

In Reconnaissance, Joe followed the Indians out of the cave and noticed that there were many more Indians that were waiting for him. They had set up camp down the canyon leaving Joe with no way to escape unless the cave had another exit(which we find out it does). Joe finds a chimney that he can escape out of, but needed something to climb up on in order to reach it. In a quote I found quite funny, Joe says...

"Injuns, I'm sorry to disturb your rest, but I think more of myself living than I do of you all dead.

With a ton of strength and courage only fit for a Hollywood star Joe made it out of the cave once and for all.

In Joe's revenge, Joe pulls a fast one on the Indians and manages to not only steal a pony, but cause a massive stampede that once again cause the Indians to lose their herd.

Joe is a G.

In A Leap Life we finally hear from Joe again. When he first left the fort he finds a trail and cautiously follows it. After awhile, Joe finally finds out that Indians were on the trail and thought they were warriors on a hunting adventure. To his dismay they were actually setting up a trap for him and six warriors cornered Joe and his no-named horse. Having no option but to fight or flee and face possible death from a fall off a cliff, Joe coolly kills a few Indians and turns toward the cliff and jumps.

In Searching for Joe's Scalp Joe starts to really show us and the Indians that he is one tough cookie and that a little fall is no going to kill him. When Joe regroups from the fall he overhears the Indians say, "Get pale-face scalp." Normally, someone recovering from such a horrfic fall would stay hidden or try to escape, but not Joe, he's going to let the Indians try and get his scalp.

Joe, Joe, Joe!

Further reading of California Joe more fully reveals Joe's character. After reading chapter seven, I will dub Joe as Robin Hood of the Old West by his gracious act of kindness to the major at the Fort. Joe arrives at the Fort in spectacular fashion, leading a herd of 70 or 1,000, or 800 some ponies in order to make a deal with the major. I use the term "make a deal" very lightly, because while the title of chapter seven is called "Joe Strikes a Bargain," he is not looking for anything in return. He is just doing it for the publicity. What a smuck.

The next chapter brings a twist to the story and the character of Joe. In Broken Promise, the emigrants are waiting for Joe's return to the camp. A day or two passed with no sight of Joe and eventually the Captain that received the ponies from the boy came upon the camp. While at the camp the same questions were bought up that seems to be the theme of the story.

"Who is Joe?"

Still, no one knows and now it appears that Joe is missing. Did the red-skins finally do him in?

California Joe, the Mysterious Plainsman

This is the story of a group of Americans traveling into the frontier West in order to find Sunset Settlement. While the men of the group were hunting one day they come upon a mysterious fellow cloaked in all black mounted upon an all white horse. The fellow leads the men back to their camp before nightfall and vanishes, leaving the people of the camp in awe about the man.

Later on the men are introduced to the young man, Joe, after he secretly guides the group out of harms way towards Sunset Settlement. He warns the group of a possible Indian trap and helps the group fool the Indians and halt their advance on the settlers.

I'm not entirely sure the purpose of this story, but it seems to have been anti-Indian propaganda which was oh-so present at this time.

Charlot and Deloria

Charlot was a very stubborn chief who refused to move from his land to reservations until he had no choice. While on the reservation the the U.S. government required Native Americans in Montana to pay taxes while on the reservation. Charlot spoke out about this issue.

[He has filled graves with our bones]
In this powerful speech, Charlot explains the hardship that his people have endured from foreign settlers to his land. He uses rich word that really catch your attention and transport you to the scene.

Deloria

This excerpt, in my eyes describes the process Americans went through to follow through with the Boston Tea Party. it shows the carefully consider of it and why the Americans used Indian as their guise for pulling off the feat.

"The Mohawk Indian disguise adopted by the Tea Party participants has usually been explained as either an attempt to maintain secrecy and anonymity or as an effort---almost laughably transparent---to cast blame on a third party."

This shows that the Americans thought that their identify would definitely kept secret if they were to use Indians as their disguise.

Baum

Baum's editorial shows a very strong hatred of the native Americans. He describes them as "despicable beings" and "untamable creatures." He states that the white man has pushed the natives to the brink of extinction for years and should just finish the job while they can. His disgust of the natives is quite apparent with phrases like, "History would forget these latter despicable beings"and, "better that they die than live the miserable wretches that they are."It's really disgusting that people were this hateful to a race that were the original owners of North American.

Noble Savages

Noble savages tells of the Europeans interpretation of the native Americans and how it transformed from a downright derogatory term to a more globally accepted-but still derogatory term.

A Century of Dishonor

Helen Hunt Jackson's A Century of Dishonor shows the hardships that Native Americans went through during the transitional period of history. It shows how Native Americans were forced from their land and move to reservations often hundreds to thousands of miles away. This book received such feedback which caused the U.S. Congress to imposed the Dawes Act, which gave the natives lands and money on which to build upon. While this was certainly a step in the right direction it still did not do the natives any justice as it often separated large family groups.

Kill the Indian and save the man!

Zitkala Sa, as known as Gertrude Simmons Bonnin was a mixed Native American borned on the Yankton Sioux Reservation in 1876. At just an early age Zitkala decided to learn the white man's ways and thus began schooling in a Quaker school in Indiana. While becoming "civilized" she faced prejudices which was common during the "transitional" period. Though all of this she becomes a writer, musician, teacher and later a political activist for Indian rights. In Impressions of an Indian Childhood she tells of her life prior and going to school, her mother, and the transition to school in a foreign world.