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.