When I first started to read to this book I thought it was going to be a great and fun story about this man’s many adventures. As I continued to read, I was a little disturbed and uneasy about the descriptive stories about brutality. It was written in a way that was very matter of fact or accepting way. The character was said to have enjoyed the hunting experience, despite the fawn falling over “violently” when it was struck in the heart. Parley went to spend time with Wampum but he was killed and somehow there was no true emotion attached to the loss of who I thought was going to be a very important character. Parley said that Wampum was his “old protector” and “friend” and would expand more on this happening later on but as I already mentioned the author writes in a factual way, I suppose because this was not only a memoir but a history lesson. I personally still felt attached and a sense of loss when this character died and lost interest afterward. I’m not sure if children would feel this way, i’m guessing it all depends on the child. I think that the author’s purpose in writing the book in a way that might be more entertaining than dishing out facts about history fell flat.
Yes, I agree with what you’re saying about the tone of the story. I feel that the way Parley tells his tales is an accurate depiction of life back then for Native American and other people of color. They would be killed and worst, and white people would not care because those being hurt weren’t white. Parley is sweeping the struggles of PoC under some a rug—which is still done in media today—for children in this pseudo history book.
There is a part where he talks about slavery, “the negroes, who have kind masters, are happy: but those who have cruel masters are wretched. In general, they are very comfortable.” This is a grown man writing, in the simplest prose, for children about how slavery was “comfortable.” This book has everything white american liked(/like): racism, guns, and a God to pray to at night.
Then again this book could be about the innocence of a child being unable to see racist acts as they are, but that may be pushing it to the point of falling over.