The writing was trying to bring to light the author’s struggles as a Native American going to an American “white man” school.  The story seems to be fairly old, from before the 20th century began.   One thing she mentions a lot is how people stare at her, and how uncomfortable this makes her feel.  On the train both children and adults look at her, and her “mocassin” feet, and this brings her almost to tears.  This is probably the strongest statement of her struggles as a Native American – she is stared at as if she is a novelty, contributing to her feeling of being an outsider.  By bringing it up more than once, it really hammers in the point how such a seemingly small thing badly affected her.