The “Empire of the Summer Moon” by Gwynne is a story of a child named Cynthia Ann Parker, who at the age of nine was captured by the Comanche tribe, and later was recaptured by white settlers. Although, one would expect Cynthia Ann to be happy to be reunited with family, the opposite occurred. Cynthia Ann was recaptured at the age of thirty three with her daughter Prairie Flower and her new Comanche name-Nautdah. The sociological imagination can relate to the wider society for both the Comanche’s and the white settlers. Cynthia Ann experienced culture shock, a change in norms and values, as well as many other things. The Comanche tribe relates to a nonmaterial culture. They are nonmaterial because they are resistant to change. The American settlers are the wider society to this tribe, the Indians do not want to be captured or killed. The Indians have a different view of society than Americans, therefore they choose to stay confined to their own society. Both the Americans and Comanches believe in war against each other. This culture war is controversial elements, …show more content…
Cynthia Ann was able to adapt to the Comanche life, learn the language, get married and have three children. When she was recaptured by the white settlers, Cynthia Ann did not speak English, and tried to escape numerous times with her daughter. Cynthia Ann had adapted to the life of the Comanches, and had left her life behind her after her father was killed. “Cynthia- ironically, probably had a better life,” but the white settlers thought they were rescuing her from a terrible culture because the white settlers live as though they are superior (Gwynne, 182). This is called ethnocentrism. She maintained the norms of her society by “cutting into her breasts and bleeding into the fire to mourn the loss of her children and husband” (Gwynne,