The Education of Little Tree; A Book Review
The book “The Education of Little Tree”, by Forrest Carter, highlights the invasion of and mistreatment inflicted upon Native Americans, specifically the Cherokee tribe. The book is set in the 1930’s depression era, and begins by telling the story of Forrest and his life with his grandparents, due to the passing of his parents. One day, as Forrest rode the bus with his “granpa and granma” as he called them, an example of racial discourtesy arose. The bus driver, whom being white, began to jeer at the family for holding up the line, “ “Where’s your tickets?” The bus driver said real loud, and everyone in the bus set up to notice us.” (Carter,2) “ -The bus driver turned around to the …show more content…
Granpa told Forrest about the law killing his cousin “ Granpa laid his death at the door of politicians, who, he said, were just about responsible for all the killings in history.” (Carter,16) Forrest supports the universal meaning in his thesis by writing about “The Way.” As the Cherokee say. The Way is the way of the Cherokee, “Granpa lived with the game, not at it.”(Carter,23) Meaning that unlike the common white men who were killing the buffalo and game just for fun, as the textbook wrote : “kill every buffalo you can. Every buffalo dead is an Indian gone.” as said by a U.s. army man. The Way explained the balance of nature, take only what you need. “It is the way…Take only what you need. When you take the deer, do not take the best. Take the smaller and the slower and the deer will grow bigger and stronger and always give you meat.” (Carter,9) The way was important, it showed that a relationship with man and nature is possible, that the life in north america was balanced, incorporating the Native Americans, and attaining a constant peace. Another part of the authors thesis, was to educate others of his life, and the often callous ways of the white man ,business men and politicians. Forrest and his granpa had a constant dislike for politicians, due to the way the
The book “The Education of Little Tree”, by Forrest Carter, highlights the invasion of and mistreatment inflicted upon Native Americans, specifically the Cherokee tribe. The book is set in the 1930’s depression era, and begins by telling the story of Forrest and his life with his grandparents, due to the passing of his parents. One day, as Forrest rode the bus with his “granpa and granma” as he called them, an example of racial discourtesy arose. The bus driver, whom being white, began to jeer at the family for holding up the line, “ “Where’s your tickets?” The bus driver said real loud, and everyone in the bus set up to notice us.” (Carter,2) “ -The bus driver turned around to the …show more content…
Granpa told Forrest about the law killing his cousin “ Granpa laid his death at the door of politicians, who, he said, were just about responsible for all the killings in history.” (Carter,16) Forrest supports the universal meaning in his thesis by writing about “The Way.” As the Cherokee say. The Way is the way of the Cherokee, “Granpa lived with the game, not at it.”(Carter,23) Meaning that unlike the common white men who were killing the buffalo and game just for fun, as the textbook wrote : “kill every buffalo you can. Every buffalo dead is an Indian gone.” as said by a U.s. army man. The Way explained the balance of nature, take only what you need. “It is the way…Take only what you need. When you take the deer, do not take the best. Take the smaller and the slower and the deer will grow bigger and stronger and always give you meat.” (Carter,9) The way was important, it showed that a relationship with man and nature is possible, that the life in north america was balanced, incorporating the Native Americans, and attaining a constant peace. Another part of the authors thesis, was to educate others of his life, and the often callous ways of the white man ,business men and politicians. Forrest and his granpa had a constant dislike for politicians, due to the way the