Fools Crow Analysis

Not all Boys Grow up to be like their Fathers In Fools Crow by James Welch, the story of the Blackfeet Indians of Montana shares the growth and experiences of the Pikunis tribe and its people as they confront new white settlers and the impacts on its society and culture. As the United States expands westward in the late 1800’s, Native American tribes living on these frontier lands are often feared, misunderstood, and despised by white settlers who want to move onto the new land. Blackfoot society at this time is a patriarchal society that is led by chiefs, braves, and warriors. The relationships between fathers and sons in this patriarchal society affects the Pikuni people as they struggle with their relationships and interactions with

As one of the elders and warchiefs of the Lone Eaters Band, Rides-at-the-door is a very respected leader of his tribe. His relationship with his two sons, WMD and Running Fisher, also alter the culture and society of the tribe at this time in history. Rides-at-the-door is a very respected leader of the Pikuni tribe and like many Pikuni leaders he also has multiple wives. His first wife, Double Strike Woman, is the mother of his two sons, called White Man’s Dog or Fools Crow and Running Fisher. Rides-at-the-door also is married to Striped Face and Kills-Close-to-the-Lake, and each wife lives in a separate lodge or home. The children are primarily raised by their mother at a young age. As they get older, they learn about waging war and hunting from their father and other men in the tribe. The oldest son, called WMD, is not viewed very

As a child, Fast Horse is confident, arrogant, strong and shows signs of a warrior and leader of his people. Boss Ribs envisions that Fast Horse will assume his role in the tribe as the keeper of the Beaver Medicine Bundle. While on a horse raid with Fast Horse, one of the tribe’s leaders named Yellow Kidney is captured and tortured, including having his figures cut off. Fast Horse blames himself for Yellow Kidney’s fate. Fast Horse falls into a state of depression and leaves the tribe in a state of shame. Even though Fast Horse has left the tribe and gone away, Boss Ribs hopes that his son will come back and after learning the secrets and history of the Beaver Medicine Bundle assume his role as a tribal elder. Fast Horse is found several years later after being shot. He is wearing white man’s clothing including: buffalo coat, black hat, a collarless shirt, and boots. His old friend, White Man’s Dog, brings Fast Horse back to the tribe to be healed and treated after being shot by the old medicine man, Mik-api. Even though Fast Horse has left the tribe, associated with bad people and lives among the white man, Boss Ribs welcomes him back and wants him to assume his role as the next keeper of the Beaver Medicine Bundle. Fast Horse wants no part of his father’s plan and runs away from the tribe again. The following quote discusses Boss Rib’s