Carol Geddes' Story: Growing Up Native in Canada - Essay Sample

Introduction

Carol Geddes narrates growing up native using the first person that links her with the reader, and she can translate the thoughts into what happens in the native land. This mode of storytelling is presented from a personal approach. The own perspective comes out when the author starts the story with "I remember it was cold." She becomes the protagonist and mentions some of the challenges Indians faced in Canada. The author chooses to publish her story in this manner because she wanted the reader to feel the realism of the story. In the descriptive mode of storytelling by application of enhanced phrases as well as sentences, the author captures the attention of the reader who perceives to be an observer in the story. Therefore, if the author is presenting a thought or idea that is sentimental and involves a lot of descriptions, he should adopt the personal mode of approach to reach the audience effectively.

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Strength of Native People, Author's Heritage Preservation Opinion and Lesson to Non-Natives

The author provides that the resilience of native people lied in their closeness and the low number of persons in the Tlingit area. It is indicated when the writer describes the place of habitant as small, with only 40 individuals. Out of forty, the writer had eight brothers and a sister (Geddes 46). The whole community knew each other and had a strong bonding. The friendly relationship is illustrated when the author is exchanged from one set of the arm to another. Also, when the babies were born in the Tlingit village, society rejoiced and held festivals. The author wants to preserve their heritage and have self-government. She believes that the government has neglected the First Nations because the authority does not have plans to relocate them from the bush, and they were discriminated in the process of pursuing education. From a humble background, the author succeeds even under hardships. The success portrays that with working hard and determination, native people can attain any goal despite the level of poverty and education.

Turn of Alienation and Prejudice Into Strength

Geddes changes the alienation and prejudices theme of being native when she applies to the university as grade nine. The author believed in herself after the realization that the books she already read are studied at the university level. She manages to complete and graduate with a Bachelor of Arts and Philosophy. More evidently, the writer's strength against alienation and prejudice is shown when her first student movie is successful. After there, she becomes a scriptwriter for a national film when studying masters in Mass Communication. Carol incorporates the kind of challenges she has gone through as not only a native but also a woman. The film identified some aspects that were against natives. The actions included the right of choice, which was featured during student selection. The Indians were given typing as a course of study without an option, while the white people were given courses in science. The teachers did not have the criteria for selecting and awarding the course.

The Common Perception of Native People and the Author's Conviction

The common understanding that an individual has about natives is the level of knowledge and used clothes. The native is treated as a person who is not intelligent. The individual is born stupid and cannot do anything to increase their intelligence. In the narrative, it is illustrated where the activity of a white person was not joined by the Indians. Moreover, the writer is denied a chance to select the course she prefers and suit her. The native people in her class are given typing while science is given to the white people without consultation. The author wants all people to be treated fairly without discrimination. She states that all individuals have the potential to become who they want in life. The growing up native story unveils that poverty and little know-how does not prevent anyone from attaining in life so long as you are determined to work extremely hard (Geddes 50).

Significance of an Elder and Reason for the Author to Be an Elder

First Nations recognized the importance of an elder in the community. The leader acted as the custodian of historical events, knowledge as well as wisdom. Also, the elders played a significant role in facilitating education in both formal and informal areas. Therefore, leading as an example, they reached out to the whole community, encouraging them to be morally upright. Geddes wants to be an elder to have a positive impact on the life of the people. She possesses all the qualities that an elder should entail, and she feels that the culture of Indians is changing. However, the author proposes adoption for a change that does not eliminate the values of the native people. For instance, she supports the use of laundry machine for washing instead of the traditional way. Additionally, she wants to teach native culture to the upcoming generation who seem to have adopted white people's approach to life.

Work Cited

Geddes, Carol. Growing Up Native. Pp. 45-56, http://mslock.weebly.com/uploads/5/9/3/9/59397655/growingupnative.pdf. Accessed 8 Apr 2020.