Summary Of The Novel 'Voices' By Betty Louise Bell

This is the first novel written by Betty Louise Bell. It was published in 1984. She describes this novel as “Its essentially autobiographical fiction . . . except I have nine siblings and my mother was still alive when the book was written. Otherwise, it’s pretty much from my life.”(“Voices”). The novel follows the protagonist, Lucie Evers, on her journey to reestablish connections with her past, her heritage, and her family. Although there are several themes in this story, the two most prevalent themes are oral storytelling and the reconstruction of self-identity. The first prevalent theme is oral storytelling. Oral storytelling is very common in Native American literature and as such, is prevalent throughout Faces in the Moon. Storytelling is a diverse and powerful …show more content…
When the librarian asked her, “Who do you think you are” and the moment that she became enraged enough to grab the librarian’s collar and state, “I ain’t asking you to tell me who I think I am…” (Bell 192) was the defining moment that she figured out and claimed her identity. It was at this moment that Lucie gained confidence on who she was. Lucie has suffered so much throughout her life but is now in a position of power to dish out the grief, as the cycle continues (Meredith).
In conclusion, Betty Louise Bells’ Faces in the Moon is another written Native American Literature that includes oral storytelling and the search of identity but it was very well written. She was clever in incorporating her family story into the novel. This novel emphasizes the importance of storytelling and it can help a person find their identity. Moreover, it is through the lives of her female characters that Bell shows the reader the strength and constitution of women. This book empowers its