Content Category
Literary Criticism
Abstract/Description
The feminist movement, though rarely analyzed through a Native American perspective, acts as a tool to modernize continuous cultural issues among indigenous people. Zitkala-Ša’s work, while it fits into this feminist framework, is rarely discussed among Native American scholars. Specifically regarding her American Indian Stories, Zitkala-Ša demonstrates the strength her feminine upbringing provides and the effect it has on her interaction with women on a national scale later in life. In this paper I draw the connection between Zitkala-Ša’s writing and the existing critical conversation around Native American feminism. Along with her autobiographical texts, Zitkala-Ša’s correspondence with women’s organizations in her professional life demonstrate the undeniable feminine power that stems from her cultural upbringing and comes into practice in her national influence. In these autobiographical and primary texts, Zitkala-Ša’s writing style transforms, mirroring the structure of the feminist movement, which existed outside her native culture. While a contemporary feminist criticism of indigenous work may not be the obvious choice, critics suggest that although we refer to American colonization of natives as part of our historical past, the issue prevails today in the structure in the dynamic between the two parties. Thinking about this structure through a feminine lens helps modernize the issue. Feminism, in today’s modern context, requires a broad, multifaceted perspective to produce a holistic, accurate interpretation of the intercultural feminist movement. Native American feminine literature, though stereotypically antiquated in popular white culture, contributes to this discussion and gives insight into the impact of female empowerment across cultures.
Copyright and Licensing of My Content
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Origin of Submission
as part of a class
Faculty Involvement
Michael Paul Taylor
Native American Culture through an Unconventional Feminist Lens
The feminist movement, though rarely analyzed through a Native American perspective, acts as a tool to modernize continuous cultural issues among indigenous people. Zitkala-Ša’s work, while it fits into this feminist framework, is rarely discussed among Native American scholars. Specifically regarding her American Indian Stories, Zitkala-Ša demonstrates the strength her feminine upbringing provides and the effect it has on her interaction with women on a national scale later in life. In this paper I draw the connection between Zitkala-Ša’s writing and the existing critical conversation around Native American feminism. Along with her autobiographical texts, Zitkala-Ša’s correspondence with women’s organizations in her professional life demonstrate the undeniable feminine power that stems from her cultural upbringing and comes into practice in her national influence. In these autobiographical and primary texts, Zitkala-Ša’s writing style transforms, mirroring the structure of the feminist movement, which existed outside her native culture. While a contemporary feminist criticism of indigenous work may not be the obvious choice, critics suggest that although we refer to American colonization of natives as part of our historical past, the issue prevails today in the structure in the dynamic between the two parties. Thinking about this structure through a feminine lens helps modernize the issue. Feminism, in today’s modern context, requires a broad, multifaceted perspective to produce a holistic, accurate interpretation of the intercultural feminist movement. Native American feminine literature, though stereotypically antiquated in popular white culture, contributes to this discussion and gives insight into the impact of female empowerment across cultures.