Saturday, January 06, 2007
Book Review - The Sketchbook of Thomas Blue Eagle
The Sketchbook of Thomas Blue Eagle begins and ends with questions. It is unique to discover the copyright and publishing information at the end of a book, but then this novel/picture book is singular in other respects as well. Initially the reader is drawn to believe that this is a work of one Mr. Thomas Eagle, a member of the Sioux Indian Nation. However upon the perusal of the final page of written text, the reader learns that the sketches are interestingly created by Adam Cvijanovic from Brooklyn, New York, and the text is derived from twin Connecticut sisters, Gay Matthaei and Jewel Grutman. Arthur Amiotte is also named on this curious page. He is a “Lakota artist, art historian, educator author and consultant on Native culture,” yet I am confounded with an answer as to why his name is on the page of credits. Could it be to lend credence to the fiction and in doing so does it develop a paradox when one lends authenticity to a fiction?
Blue Eagle’s adventures begin with what he perceives as a need. Blue Eagle believes if he leaves the reservation and travels with Bill Cody’s Wild West Show he will secure the wealth he believes he requires to win the hand of the fair maiden Echo. However others do not feel the urgency to leave. Dark Moon, his rival for Echo, vows someday to “even the score,” between him and Blue Eagle,” which for this reader sounds like a challenge. Challenge/confrontation/war are what the Indians claim to oppose yet it is obvious it does indeed exist among their own tribal members. One also learns that Indians had “terms of endearment” for whites, just as whites had such terms for Indians. Indians called whites “wasichum” which the author interprets as “those other people,” but then who’s to say, it could really mean “$#$#&$^%*$*”. People are people regardless of their “roots.”
Respect for animals and all creatures is Blue Eagle’s spiritual doctrine that magically brings him stardom in the Wild West Show. Yet he takes his most beloved mount and races him in three consistent matches against three formidable adversaries to enhance his sense of grandeur. Not once does he consider the strain he has placed on his animal, and does not mention the foundering (the turning of the coffin bone in a horses foot due to misuse causing lameness) that most likely occurred days later and lamed the noble steed, all for the fame/pride of the rider.
Blue Eagle meets the Pope and the Queen of England during the European tour. These figureheads he views as chiefs which indicates to this reader that one leader is very much like another. Eventually the Pope invites the Indians to pray with him to Jesus. “I did not do it at Carlisle (School). I would not do it in Rome. I know there is only one Great Spirit but the Great Spirit speaks Lakota words to the Lakota warriors. Those words cannot be the same as Italian words the white man’s God speaks to Italian shepherds.” How familiar this ideology is, i.e.; each committed to his/her religion and resenting others for being different. Most wars are based on holy/sacred devotion.
A lie, passed to Blue Eagle by Cody, in order to cease his desire to leave the show and return home breaks Blue Eagle’s heart. Cody tells him Echo has married Dark Moon, and his people are starving because the U.S. government has not delivered the promised provisions. The bamboozled Indian states he “cries inside,” indicating that perhaps male tribal members were denied their right to express emotion of pain.
While our hero works for whites, earning his fortune through the white world he insists that although “I am walking the white man’s road I am not turning into a white man.” It is pleasant to see Blue Eagle’s inconsistent behavior is no different than any other human being. At long last Blue Eagle and his horse return to U.S. shores. Refused normal seating because he is Indian the young man rides in the hay car of the train back home. He learns many of the members of the community have moved either to the reservation or to other places due to drought and broken promises of the government. Blue Eagle learns he has been given a substantial amount of land and grows prosperous. Presto, Echo returns to him. Why is it women are always depicted as capitulating to wealth? When will the book be written that depicts all people of equal dispositions?
Blue Eagle’s adventures begin with what he perceives as a need. Blue Eagle believes if he leaves the reservation and travels with Bill Cody’s Wild West Show he will secure the wealth he believes he requires to win the hand of the fair maiden Echo. However others do not feel the urgency to leave. Dark Moon, his rival for Echo, vows someday to “even the score,” between him and Blue Eagle,” which for this reader sounds like a challenge. Challenge/confrontation/war are what the Indians claim to oppose yet it is obvious it does indeed exist among their own tribal members. One also learns that Indians had “terms of endearment” for whites, just as whites had such terms for Indians. Indians called whites “wasichum” which the author interprets as “those other people,” but then who’s to say, it could really mean “$#$#&$^%*$*”. People are people regardless of their “roots.”
Respect for animals and all creatures is Blue Eagle’s spiritual doctrine that magically brings him stardom in the Wild West Show. Yet he takes his most beloved mount and races him in three consistent matches against three formidable adversaries to enhance his sense of grandeur. Not once does he consider the strain he has placed on his animal, and does not mention the foundering (the turning of the coffin bone in a horses foot due to misuse causing lameness) that most likely occurred days later and lamed the noble steed, all for the fame/pride of the rider.
Blue Eagle meets the Pope and the Queen of England during the European tour. These figureheads he views as chiefs which indicates to this reader that one leader is very much like another. Eventually the Pope invites the Indians to pray with him to Jesus. “I did not do it at Carlisle (School). I would not do it in Rome. I know there is only one Great Spirit but the Great Spirit speaks Lakota words to the Lakota warriors. Those words cannot be the same as Italian words the white man’s God speaks to Italian shepherds.” How familiar this ideology is, i.e.; each committed to his/her religion and resenting others for being different. Most wars are based on holy/sacred devotion.
A lie, passed to Blue Eagle by Cody, in order to cease his desire to leave the show and return home breaks Blue Eagle’s heart. Cody tells him Echo has married Dark Moon, and his people are starving because the U.S. government has not delivered the promised provisions. The bamboozled Indian states he “cries inside,” indicating that perhaps male tribal members were denied their right to express emotion of pain.
While our hero works for whites, earning his fortune through the white world he insists that although “I am walking the white man’s road I am not turning into a white man.” It is pleasant to see Blue Eagle’s inconsistent behavior is no different than any other human being. At long last Blue Eagle and his horse return to U.S. shores. Refused normal seating because he is Indian the young man rides in the hay car of the train back home. He learns many of the members of the community have moved either to the reservation or to other places due to drought and broken promises of the government. Blue Eagle learns he has been given a substantial amount of land and grows prosperous. Presto, Echo returns to him. Why is it women are always depicted as capitulating to wealth? When will the book be written that depicts all people of equal dispositions?
# posted by Bite Me Kissimmee @ 1:59 PM 
