Wounded Knee:The Ties of Religion and Violence Essay -- Indian Religio

Wounded Knee: The Ties of Religion and Violence On the morning of December 29, 1890, many Sioux Indians (estimated at above two hundred) died at the hands of the United States Army near Wounded Knee Creek on the Pine Ridge Reservation. The Indians were followers of the Ghost Dance religion, devised by Wovoka, a Paiute prophet, as a spiritual outlet for Indian repression by whites. The United States Army set out to intercept this group of Native Americans because they performed the controversial Ghost Dance. Both whites’ and the Sioux’s misunderstanding of an originally peaceful Indian religion culminated in the Battle of Wounded Knee. This essay first shows how the Ghost Dance came about, its later adaptation by the Sioux, and whites’ fear and misunderstanding of the Dance, then it appraises the U.S. military’s conduct during the conflict, and American newspaper coverage of events at Wounded Knee. The Ghost Dance prophet Wovoka was born in 1865 into the Paiute tribe of Nevada. In his early twenties, Wovoka experienced a significant tuning point in his life when he recovered from a coma at the same time of a solar eclipse (Hittman 17). He had been deathly ill with a severe fever that sent him into a coma. After recovering, Wovoka spoke of being transported to the spirit world and of speaking with the Great Spirit. Wovoka felt he had been given special powers and sought to help the Indian population. Also known as Jack Wilson, Wovoka endured to unite the Indian nations with a message of patience, kindness, and love. The Indians desperately needed hope and guidance in a time of great depression and anguish. The Indians had been uprooted from their natural homes by the encroachment of white settlers on their lands. The con... ..., Call No. F96.A3795 Last Days of the Sioux Nation, Robert M. Utley, 1961 (ch. 11 & 12 contained in WKPub; all pg numbers are in reference to that appearance) â€Å"Some Phases of the Recent Indian War.† Cited from Kerstetter, â€Å"Spin Doctors at Santee: Missionaries and the Dakota-Language Reporting of the Ghost Dance and Wounded Knee.† Western Historical Quarterly 1997 New York Times, â€Å"A Fight with the Hostiles.† December 30, 1890 p.1 c.4 New York Tribune, â€Å"Fighting at Pine Ridge.† January 1, 1891 p.1 c.3 â€Å"The agent further states that Sitting Bull is high priest and leading apostle of this latest Indian absurdity.† - R.V. Belt, Acting Commissioner of Indian Affairs, Oct. 24, 1890. â€Å"If he fights, destroy him.† - Fayette W. Roe, 1st Lieut. 3d Infty, A.D.C., in a letter to Maj. Whitside of the 7th Calvary, in reference to the Miniconjous chief Big Foot.

Meaning of Life and Br Essay

Fabio Moon and Gabriel Ba illustrated a story through comics that represent different moods and feelings in a series titled Daytripper. Comic books are a form of art, and they provide the reader with a broad spectrum of topics. Artist express the world through colors, symbols, and themes to show feelings, thoughts, and ideas and this can be done through various forms of art, which includes comic books. The illustrations in comic books help to convey the meaning of the story. In Daytripper, Moon and Ba describe Bras de Oliva Domingo’s life and how choices produce outcomes both good and bad. At a young age Bras believes that anything is possible, and one never knows what is in store for him at the end. His philosophy in life are the same principles as in fishing as one casts a line the excitement builds because one never knows what is on the end of the line. Water is reoccurring in the story, and it symbolizes Bras de Oliva Domingo’s struggles to stay above water through his sea of memories of his life. In the beginning, Bras feels there are no boundaries and one can explore as many opportunities life has to offer. Life’s daily decisions shape the outcomes both good and bad. The purpose is to learn from one’s past decisions and make changes improve our relationships and to be content with our lives in the end. The main character has ample opportunity to make changes along his journey for he experiences death at each phase of his life. Bras discovers endless possibilities from the seas from Iemanja, the spirit of the waters, in a dream they are riding in a boat through rough seas being tossed around with baskets that represent wishes and desires. Moon and Ba illustrate how in Bras dreams his life’s goals are laid out as he wishes. Just as water flows in and out, Bras dreams come in and out each night in his sleep. Bras flows through life just like water flows in and out never knowing where it will end up. Rougher waves represent new opportunities that continuously arise, but if one waits to long to take advantage of the opportunity then the waves may carry away the opportunity. As waves are continuously moving new chances will be present time and time again. Bras misses many opportunities because he is not willing â€Å"to go after his dreams† (203). His dreams tell him time is running out, and he needs to make the most of his opportunities. Each dream ends with â€Å"wake up before it’s too late† (203). Bras dreams about his possibilities and wishes he could take a chance to change his life, but he never does. Bras is just an observer in his dreams watching as the water passes by carrying the baskets. The dark colors and spirit of the waters are a main part of the artwork in the comic. Bras has responsibilities to his job and his wife, and he is content with both just cruising through each day. His life is similar to the ocean how the waves move along to the shore and effortlessly move back out to sea. He learns lessons along the way which he has no control and finds his wife frustrated with him from living a content and everyday life. Illustrations show water running full blast when they are not doing dishes or running any water. She later clinches the sink that is overflowing with water because Bras does not understand their life has joy and love. She wants her life to be less stressful so that the sink will stop overflowing. Just by Bras listening to his wife the water pressure will lessen, and the sink will not fill as quickly. Bras turns a deaf ear and does not listen, and the water just flows over the kitchen sink onto the floor. The overflow of water represents her stress, and he comes to realize he can help decrease the stress by making a few simple changes. She keeps trying to explain to him she cannot do it all on her own while he just sits there and listens. The overflow of water represents the burdens she feels by their life and needs Bras help to alleviate some of the daily pressures from her. As she pours him tea, the water flows up to the dining room table, and he finally understands her frustration over his laziness. At this point, Bras realizes by helping his family they will not be so overwhelmed and the water will stop overflowing. Just as the seas calm at times, Bras too feels tranquility at the end of his life. One late night he steps in the ocean and stares at the sky as it changes from dark and ordinary to a burst of stars symbolizing the calmness of the night. The peacefulness of the water helps Bras feel satisfied with his life. He feels at peace with his relationships with his dad, wife, and son. He smiles as he looks out on the calm ocean accepting his final destiny to be swept away by the sea. He stands in the water thinking for a long time accepting his fate, and the calm water represents he is at harmony with his life. The reader is left to complete his fate, which may just be Bras swimming out as far as he can until he the water carries him out to sea. The story connects water and life as a cycle that is continuously flowing. Water represents constant change just as one’s life changes through the years. Psychiatrists have used water for years as a representation of one’s mind because the deeper you go the more problems one may see. The ocean represents power and strength and people have the same characteristics. Every day we make choices and some outcomes can be predicted and others cannot. The beauty of the ocean is the unknown and change and how the meaning relates to life. One can change their behavior and possibly the outcome may change. It all is part of the cycle of life. Works Cited Moon, Fabio and Gabriel Ba. Daytripper. New York: DC Comics, 2011.

The Crucible By Arthur Miller - 1145 Words

Who is to blame? In the novel, The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, Abigail, the antagonist in the book is to blame for all the events that occur because she was the one that first dabbled with witchcraft. In that time period, witchcraft was thought of as a sin, and if somebody was accused, they would be hung unless they confessed. She would be categorized as an instigator of her society since she played with witchcraft, and accused others, which would be hung if they didn’t confess. Many events in her past and present influence this behavior, and many problems occur because of her impact on the community. Abigail’s affair with John Proctor, her association with witchcraft and her accusation of others causes her to be blamed for the Salem Witch Trials in Massachusetts. The complication that initiated Abigail to start the Salem Witch Trials was her affair with John Proctor. Abigail worked as a maid for the Proctors, John and his wife, Elizabeth; it came to be known by Elizabeth that John and Abigail had an affair. As said by Elizabeth in act III on page 113 of The Crucible, â€Å"I came to think he fancied her. And so one night I lost my wits, I think, and put her out on the highroad.† Elizabeth decided to discharge her from the house. Abigail went to live with her uncle, Parris, in Salem. After this event in the novel, Abigail despises Elizabeth, and wants revenge on her. John went to Salem after he heard about the witch findings; Abigail caught up to him in private andShow MoreRelatedThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1269 Words   |  6 PagesAt first glance, the playwright Arthur Miller in The Crucible highlights the historical significance of the Salem Witch Trials of 1692, but in fact it is an allegorical expression of his perception of McCarthyism. If the reader has some background information on Arthur Miller’s victimization as a communist, it is evident that the play is a didactic vessel illustrating the flaws of the court system in the 1950’s. The communist allegations were launched at government employees, entertainers and writersRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1681 Words   |  7 Pagesof their way to the last dying breath to make sure they leave with a good or bad reputation. In one of the recent literature study in class â€Å"The Crucible† by Arthur Miller, Miller uses characterization to illustrate reputation throughout the play. â€Å"The Crucible† takes place in Salem, Massachusetts. It is based upon the Salem witch trails. In â€Å"The Crucible†, we journey through the life of three characters who reputations plays a major role in the play. The three characters are John Proctor, AbigailRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1333 Words   |  6 PagesAs the va rious characters in The Crucible by Arthur Miller interact, the dominant theme of the consequences of women’s nonconformity begins to slide out from behind the curtains of the play. Such a theme reveals the gripping fear that inundated the Puritans during the seventeenth century. This fear led to the famous witch-hunts that primarily terrorized women who deviated from the Puritan vision of absolute obedience and orthodoxy. Arthur Miller presents his interpretation of the suffering by subtlyRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller998 Words   |  4 Pagesmotivated by jealousy and spite. The Crucible is a four-act dramatic play production that was first performed on January 22, 1953. Arthur Miller used dialogue within the characters to cover the multiple themes; conflicts and resolutions, plus the few directions for the different actions of the play. The Salem Witch Trials were intended to be performed as the play however, when read, it can be more carefully examined and broken down to analyze the techniques. Miller, the playwright, uses literaryRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1145 Words   |  5 PagesUnbalance Through The Centuries In Arthur Miller’s play, The Crucible, the author reflects the persecution of communists in America in the 1950’s through a recount of the Salem witch trials. It is often presumed that Miller based his drama directly off of events that were particularly prevalent in the years surrounding the publication of The Crucible- which was released in the year 1953, towards the conclusion of the Korean War. Although there was not a literal witch hunt occurring during this timeRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1063 Words   |  5 PagesIn the English dictionary, there are three definitions of the word crucible. One is a metal container in which metals are mixed and melted. Another is a severe test. But the third definition, and the one that I think fits the best for this book, is a place or situation in which different elements interact to create something new. In my mind, this fits because all of the characters had their little grudges and dirty secrets. But when all th ose seemingly little things interact, they formed somethingRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1285 Words   |  6 Pages Rationale, Morality, Stereotypes, Pressure, Self-Censorship, Unanimity, and Mindguards. Groupthink has also taken place in our history a a country. The play, The Crucible by Arthur Miller is about a the real-life Salem Witch Trials that happened in 1692 - 1693, in Salem, Massachusetts. Some symptoms of Groupthink found in the Crucible are Rationale, Pressure, and Self-Censorship. The Groupthink symptom, Rationale, is described as when victims of Groupthink ignore warnings: they also collectivelyRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller811 Words   |  4 Pages While The Crucible, by Arthur Miller, is only a four act play, it still resembles the format of a five act play. The five-act structure evolved from a three-act structure, which was made famous by Roman Aelius Donatus. Donatus came up with three types of plays: Protasis, Epitasis, and Catastrophe. The five-act structure helped to expand the three act structure, mainly made famous by Shakespeare through his many tragedies. Even though The Crucible contains only four acts, it still has the commonRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller1052 Words   |  5 PagesBuddy Al-Aydi Ms.Healy English 9 CP 14th October 2014 The Crucible Essay The Crucible was a novel written by Arthur Miller in the 1950’s. It was written in a format of the play, portraying an allegory of the Salem Witch-Hunts led by Senator Joseph McCarthy. The book is known to have a inexplicable plot. This plot is advanced by multiple characters in the book in order to ensure that the reader maintains interest with the material that is being read. The farmer, John Proctor, would be theRead MoreThe Crucible By Arthur Miller841 Words   |  4 PagesThe Crucible is a chaotic play, throughout this American classic Arthur Miller takes the reader through multiple events of terror and insanity. While creating a great on-stage play, Arthur Miller portrays his life through the events, the characters, and plot of The Crucible. Using vivid imagery and comprehensible symbolism, Miller manipulates the real personalities of the characters and events in 1600 Salem, Massachusetts to create a symbolic autobiography. Throughout this play, the reader experie nces