A Way To Rainy Mountain Analysis

What would humans do without the ability of memory? Memory is the ability to remember past experiences, and the power or process of recalling to mind previously learned facts, experiences, impressions, skills and habits. Without the ability to create a memory humans wouldn’t be able to do everyday activities because we wouldn’t be able to learn from other humans anymore. When someone returns to a place that has been visited before most humans begin to recollect the memories that were experienced in that certain place. Sometimes these memories bring them happiness while other times these memories can bring sadness. Many authors use the idea of imagery as a technique to help the reader understand the characters’ surroundings and make the readers

Momaday is a perfect example of this rememberance of a place that has a meaning to it. In the story, “A Way to Rainy Mountain”, Momaday is revisiting where his ancestors had grown, lived, fought, and survived through many treacherous battles. “Yellowstone, it seemed to me, was the top of the world, a region of deep lakes and dark timber, canyons and waterfalls. But, beautiful as it is, on might have the sense of confinement there. The skyline in all directions is close at hand, the high wall of the woods and deep cleavages of shade. There is a perfect freedom in the mountains, but it belongs to the eagle and the elk, the badger and the bear.” As stated by Momaday, Yellowstone is a very important place to him his tribe, and his ancestors. Revisiting Yellowstone made Momaday recollect the history of the Kiowas and everything that the Kiowas experiences. Through imagery by saying, “a region of deep lakes and dark timber”, “skyline in all directions is close at hand” and many other statements Momdays helps the readers imagine exactly what he is seeing while is is traveling through Yellowstone. The beautiful and historic landscape of Yellowstone and its meaning will leave a lasting impact on the mind of Momday for years to