Throughout history there have been many cases of assimilation. However, almost every attempt has been unsuccessful. For example, after evangelizing native-Americans in the west, native culture continued to exist. The short story “The Lost Sister”, by Dorothy M. Johnson, explains the unsuccessful and negative effects of forced assimilation of the aboriginal people. The tragic consequences of assimilation are exhibited through the protagonist’s family’s ignorant ideas of Aunt Bessie before and after her arrival. Moreover, Aunt Bessie’s former family does not help her transition into civilization. They naively neglect her native upbringing and expect her to act as the Caucasian ideal. In addition, assimilation only delays the acceptance of other
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For example, the half-native translator who helps the aunts communicate with Bessie is treated with very little respect by the aunts and the protagonist. When Aunt Bessie arrives, aunt Margaret “[takes] the party into the front parlor- even the interpreter, when she [understands] that there is no avoiding it”(56). Aunt Margaret acts prejudiced towards the interpreter because he is half native. Assimilation did not help propagate the equality of natives and Caucasians; it only furthered their inequality. The translator is often even called the half blood. The protagonist uses this expression throughout the story, exposing the wedge between the races. Aunt Margaret stoops even lower when she “put[s] a clean towel on a chair and [sees] to it that the interpreter [sits] there”(60). It is distasteful that they associate his race with filth. This incident with the interpreter confirms that forceful assimilation is flawed. Although evangelized, he is not treated equally. The protagonist even calls him “the greasy haired interpreter”(60). He is an animal in the locked cage of western society, judged by everyone. The interpreter will never be an equal because a part of him is of the lesser breed. Even though Bessie is more culturally native than the interpreter, she is more accepted in society because of her white skin. As a result, acceptance in Western society is a birthright with exclusive
For example, the half-native translator who helps the aunts communicate with Bessie is treated with very little respect by the aunts and the protagonist. When Aunt Bessie arrives, aunt Margaret “[takes] the party into the front parlor- even the interpreter, when she [understands] that there is no avoiding it”(56). Aunt Margaret acts prejudiced towards the interpreter because he is half native. Assimilation did not help propagate the equality of natives and Caucasians; it only furthered their inequality. The translator is often even called the half blood. The protagonist uses this expression throughout the story, exposing the wedge between the races. Aunt Margaret stoops even lower when she “put[s] a clean towel on a chair and [sees] to it that the interpreter [sits] there”(60). It is distasteful that they associate his race with filth. This incident with the interpreter confirms that forceful assimilation is flawed. Although evangelized, he is not treated equally. The protagonist even calls him “the greasy haired interpreter”(60). He is an animal in the locked cage of western society, judged by everyone. The interpreter will never be an equal because a part of him is of the lesser breed. Even though Bessie is more culturally native than the interpreter, she is more accepted in society because of her white skin. As a result, acceptance in Western society is a birthright with exclusive