Pretty Like A White Boy And W. D. Valgardson Analysis

In both Drew Hayden Taylor’s “Pretty Like a White Boy” and W.D. Valgardson’s “Identities”, lives are defined or even destroyed by stereotypes. This passing of judgement is inescapable. It is rooted deep within ourselves and passed on from generation to generation. As with any idea, the longer they linger, the greater control it has over the mind; leading to actions based on what are now engrained thoughts. These two stories depict both protagonists’ lives influenced by stereotypes that have been lodged from the past.
Ever since he was born, the protagonist in “Identities” has only ever experienced the suburban life. His childhood reminds him of “girls on plodding horses” and “salmon tins glinting with silver, set above hand-painted signs instructing …show more content…
They don’t come from thin air however; they must start with older generations before being passed down. Taylor describes himself as a “Pink man”, having “[blue] eyes…fair skin, light brown hair” as well as “the heart and spirit of an Ojibway storyteller.” These characteristics lead Marianne Jones to conclude that “the old women in my village would call you [Taylor]…pretty like a white boy.” It is disturbing to note that Jones would know this since it indicates that the prototypical view of white beauty is transferring from the old to the young. It is odd to think that children would categorise people into race, but Drew Hayden Taylor’s experience speaks otherwise. When Taylor was a child, he was always “the bad guy, the cowboy” when playing cowboys and Indians. Similarly, a nine-year old “refused to believe that I [he] was Indian.” The persuasion of “the whole film crew” did not change her mind. She even assumed that “all Indians drink tea!” However, it is not the fault of the children that they did not know any better. They have learned these clichés from the environment that surround …show more content…
During cab rides, drivers would casually talk about “tear-gass[ing]” the Oka crisis or avoiding “drunk Indians.” The careless manner in which these strong opinions were said indicates how second nature these thoughts have become for them. However, they would not have expressed these feelings if they believed Taylor were not white. This confusion is not only found with cab drivers but with others such as directors and producers as well. During auditions, there would always be “a recheck of the papers” and disbelief that Drew Hayden Taylor was at the “right audition.” Because he did not fit into the Native stereotypes, he did not get any of the parts. These examples show how fixed ones views can be, even when they are based on pre-conceived notions. The final scene in “Identities” shows these pre-conceived notions being acted upon. The protagonist has become anxious due to his unfamiliar surroundings, so he acts suspiciously, “edge[ing] nervously along the fender and past the grille.” Seeing the cop, he believes that he is safe, and reaches for his identity. However, the officer has been “trained to see an unshaven man in blue jeans as a potential thief”. Believing that he is reaching for a gun, the officer decides to shoot first. This is certainly the most dramatic, but not the only way a life can be