The story of Black Elk as fiction and biography. „Black Elk speaks“ by John G. Neihardt versus “The heartsong of Charging Elk” by James Welch

Dossier / Travail , 2006 , 19 Pages

Philologie Américaine - Littérature

In this paper I am going to compare the biography “Black Elk speaks” written by John G. Neihardt with the novel “The heartsong of Charging Elk” written by James Welch. Both books show a different perspective on the same topic. “Black Elk speaks” shows the true history whereas the novel from James Welch is fiction. But by reading both books I got the impression that even “The heartsong of Charging Elk” could have really happened. By reading the books a lot of connections or links get obvious.

The paper tries to discuss some of the connections. In the first part of the paper the stories will be summarized and the main characters Black Elk and Charging Elk will be described. In the center part of the paper some of the connections and links will be compared more detailed. Here I will triy to point out especially the connections they have during their travel to Europe.

In the last part I am going to discuss the interesting changes of the narrative perspective and the resulting impression for the reader.

Inhaltsverzeichnis

• Introduction
• Characterization and appearances of the main characters
  • Charging Elk
  • Black Elk
• Summary of the stories
  • "The heartsong of Charging Elk"
  • "Black Elk speaks"
• Links between the books
• Connections between the two texts especially connections in the travel to Europe
  • Atlantic as a border
  • Death song
  • The Buffalo Bill Show
  • The visions and spirit journeys
  • The Massacre at Wounded Knee
• Narrative perspectives and the impression on the reader
• Conclusion

Zielsetzung und Themenschwerpunkte

This paper aims to compare the autobiography "Black Elk speaks" by John G. Neihardt with the novel "The heartsong of Charging Elk" by James Welch. Both books offer different perspectives on the same topic, with "Black Elk speaks" presenting a historical account and "The heartsong of Charging Elk" being a fictional narrative. The paper explores the connections and links between the two texts, focusing on the characters' experiences during their travels to Europe. It also examines the narrative perspectives and their impact on the reader.

• Comparison of historical and fictional narratives
• Exploration of the characters' experiences in Europe
• Analysis of the narrative perspectives and their impact on the reader
• Examination of the cultural and historical context of the stories
• Discussion of the themes of identity, displacement, and cultural change

Zusammenfassung der Kapitel

The novel "The heartsong of Charging Elk" follows the life of a Lakota Indian from his childhood in his homeland to his experiences in Europe with the Buffalo Bill Show. The story begins with Charging Elk's family being forced to relocate to the Red Cloud Agency and later to the Pine Ridge Agency. As a teenager, he leaves the agency to live at Whirlwind Compound, where he learns traditional Lakota ways from medicine men. However, the increasing encroachment of white settlers forces him to return to the agency. Charging Elk's life takes a dramatic turn when he is chosen to join the Buffalo Bill Show, leading him on a journey to Europe. The novel explores his experiences as a performer in the show, his struggles to adapt to a foreign culture, and his search for a wife and family.

Schlüsselwörter

The key themes and keywords of the text include the Lakota culture, the impact of colonialism on Native American communities, the experiences of Native Americans in Europe, the Buffalo Bill Show, and the themes of identity, displacement, and cultural change. The paper explores the connections between the historical and fictional narratives, highlighting the similarities and differences between the two texts. It also examines the narrative perspectives and their impact on the reader's understanding of the stories.

• Université: University of Rostock
• Cours: Imaginary Homelands - Indians
• Auteur: Martin Setzkorn (Auteur)
• Année de publication: 2006
• Pages: 19
• N° de catalogue: V115491
• ISBN (ebook): 9783640170012
• ISBN (Livre): 9783656872924
• Langue: anglais
• mots-clé: Comparison, Charging, Elk“, Imaginary, Homelands, Indians, black elk speaks, the heartsong of charging elk, black elk, welch, neihardt