Pathos on "An Indian Teacher among Indians"

Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (Zitkala-Sa in her native Sioux) was an involved member of the Native American community in the latter part of the 19th century into the 20th century. Her story, An Indian Teacher among Indians is her personal account and narrative of living in the white culture and Indian culture. Divided into four chapters, she discusses her job and issues with her mother. It is somewhat of an emotional testimony through her decisions and relations, and therefore lends to a helpful analysis of both Purpose and the Pathos.

The purpose of her story is to show the complexity of internal struggle that many Native American's experienced during the assimilation years between the 1860's and 1930's imposed on the Native Americans. The United States government thought that the best way to help the Native Americans survive and become incorporated into society was to teach them English, teach them how to be farmers and Christianize them. Zitkala-Sa makes this impression at the end of her story; "In this fashion many have passed idly through the Indian schools during the last decade, afterward to boast of their charity to the North American Indian. But few there are who have paused to question whether real or long-lasting death lies beneath this semblance of civilization." (p.259). This references the complexity of societal clashes, and the imposing life of the white culture. many families were broken up, and cultural identity was lost during this period. This is the death that she is mentioning.

"Mother, do not pray again! The Great Spirit does not care if we live or die! Let us not look for good or justice: then we shall not be disappointed!" (p. 257) Zitkala-Sa had visited her mother at one point to find more Indian recruits in the east. This quote, embodying the Pathos, is directed at her mother, an embittered woman who loathes the white man and the disillusions they brought. Zitkala-Sa, raised to be weary of the white man has found refuge though in their culture, and has been forced to compromise beliefs and thoughts from both her native culture and the American one. She is frustrated by both. "For white man's papers I had given up my faith in the Great Spirit. For these same papers I had forgotten the healing in trees and brooks. On account of my mother's simple view of life, and my lack of any, I gave her up, also." (p. 258)

About Me

I'm David, and I am currently a senior in my last semester at NAU. I am a German major, but was originally a history major. After a study abroad term to Germany last year I came back with so much German credit that it made sense to switch my major and minor. so that's where I am there..

I grew up in Prescott, AZ. I had an interest in music growing up and play piano, trombone, and a little guitar and bass. I primarily played Jazz and Classical, but I messed around in rock and ska as well. I like to dable around a bit. I like listening to pretty much any genre of music, but my favorite growing up was Punk and Indie, especially bands like NOFX, Bad Religion and Green Day. you could also find me listening to other forms of alternative and metal, but my list of favorite bands would go on for quite a while. Currently my more favorite bands have been the Faint, Modest Mouse and Muse. But yeah, I really like everything.

I have a dog named Gimley and a cat named Jazz who live with me and my brother. They are great and make life much more interesting and happy despite the hassles of school life. Gimley is a Leopard Cur, which is a mixed breed originating in the Appalachian region of the US and bred for tracking, herding, guarding and being a family dog. We adopted him from the Second Chance Shelter here in Flag as a little pup and have had him for almost 2 years now. Jazz is a tuxedo cat, hence his name, but he usually just goes by Kitty. He was adopted at a shelter in Tucson when I lived there.

I'm looking forward to graduating here in May and getting into the "real world" and finding a job with a salary. I'm hoping to get back to Germany and work there either teaching English or working for an embassy or something. In the long run, I'd like to get involved in diplomatic work... maybe even become an ambassador or something of the like.

So yeah, that's me in a nutshell.


The Faint - Agenda Suicide

A.A.P. and Shitty First Drafts

Shitty First Drafts by Anne Lamott

Author: Anne Lamott is an award winning writer and journalist. She has been a food critic and her web column Salon was noted by Time Magazine for being the best on the web.

Audience: The audience is geared towards anyone that is going to be, is, or has been writing. I think it is mostly aimed at students, but any other journalists or authors could find some useful tidbits from the work.

Purpose: Her main purpose is to make sure those who are writing don't get discouraged when writing their first drafts. She makes notes about her own experiences and tries to give advice on draft writing and the usefulness of a "shitty first draft"

A.A.P. and E.L.P. triangles on the Godsey reading

Cro-Magnon Karma: One Dude and his Body Image Issue, by Chris Godsey

Author: Chris Godsey is a professor of Composition at the University of Minnesota-Duluth. He is a Man, declared not to be a metro-sexual, and is concerned about his body image as well as mass media and it's effects in America.

Audience: The audience isn't specified, but it seems to be geared towards the average person living in modern society. It could be aimed at most any demographic, gender, and race but would have more of a relation to the younger part of society.

Purpose: To discuss how modern pop-culture is changing perceptions of masculinity, it's effects and show the authors first hand experiences, problems and concerns on the issue.


Ethos: As a university professor of composition it would be a given that he is a respectable writer. As a married manly-man living in a society where he is influenced by his proposed topic, he would also show to have credibility on the subject.

Logos: The logic in his paper is based on the idea that actors are buffer and toned, resulting in an increase of men going to the gym. He notes that a striking 3 million males have experimented at one point or another with black market steroid use, backing up his idea of media and entertainment having an effect on the population.

Pathos: He uses the emotions of his own anxieties of not feeling good enough, strong enough, or toned enough and how it affects his personal life. He discuss his problems and how they affect his relations with his wife and the frustrations that follow due to his personal esteem issues of inadequacies.

hiking the peaks

Yesterday, Feb. 21, also MLK day, My friends Jeff and Matt and I decided to ascend the peaks. We had hiked Humphreys Peak back in November with great success, though also feeling severely beat. Jeff and Matt had tried for Agassiz a few weeks ago, but because of low visual they only made it to the false summit. After learning this, they wanted to try again.

Agassiz has an indigenous plant growing on it that is vulnerable to foot traffic during the summer months. One might incur a $500 fine for tromping around on the little guys. but during winter months with the snow, hikers are free to reach the summit of Agassiz and view the Arizona landscape in its full majesty.

So we woke ourselves up at 4 for a high energy breakfast of eggs and banana's and loaded up our gear. We made it to the ski lodge parking lot at about 6:15, and with our strapped on snow shoes (something Jeff and Matt were lacking the trip prior) we climbed the route of the ski lifts.

And it was quite challenging. the steep grades though added a huge amount of elevation lift, and about 2 hours later we were at the top of the lift. we re-situated our gear here, and took the next part of the trail towards Agassiz. my hip by this point was causing me much anxiety, a problem I had on Humphreys trail. Despite the pain we climbed higher and higher through the cinder topped crest. But then my boots were causing problems. Needless to say, I realized I was holding the group back and that I wasn't equipped to go on. My glasses frozen from my breath, gloves chunked with ice and 70 mile-an-hour winds and flurry's beating against me, I headed back down to the top of the lift and the skiers outpost.

There I waited and warmed up, and Jeff and Matt joined me shortly having summited the mountain. It took us only 15 minutes to get back down. They didn't let us use the lift, so instead we slid down on our butts down the ski runs. That was quite fun.

Although I didn't summit, I really enjoyed the trip. There's nothing that can explain or give justice to the awe and beauty of the views and the mountains. It was a great way to spend a morning.