Wind Wolf Language Analysis

Wind-Wolf, a young and innocent Indian boy is struggling to fit in as he’s being torn apart between white culture and his own Indian culture. Having recently transferred to a new school, Wind-Wolf is trying to adapt to the new culture while holding on to his own. As his father describes to his teacher, “My Indian child is a slow learner...It takes time to adjust to a new cultural system and learn new things”(2). Wind-Wolf’s father is telling the teacher that she should try to be be patient with Wind-Wolf because he needs time getting used to this new and strange educational environment. Growing up, Wind-Wolf experienced and learned different things than his white peers. For example, “he’s been taught by our traditional people that there are

Growing up in an Indian culture, Wind-Wolf’s looks, hobbies, and beliefs were also different compared to his white classmates. Because he’s different in so many ways, he feels left out, but still has the desire to fit in. One step he takes to try to fit in is by cutting his hair because at school, “he has no friends because they make fun of his long hair...but in Indian culture, long hair represents masculinity, balance, and a source of power”(3). These problems causes Wind-Wolf to, “feel that he does not belong”(4). This shows how the dominant white culture poses as an impediment for Wind-Wolf because “being the only Indian kid in his class”(4), he has no other Indian kid to talk to, leaving him his only option; conform into the white

Wind-Wolf allowed the oppression and racism take the best of him which later caused him to feel ashamed of his race, while Alexie proved to his fellow Indians that they are all capable of succeeding, just like the white kids. Alexie possessed internal strength that Wind-Wolf didn’t have. This made Alexie mentally stronger because he didn’t care of expectations and racism, but instead he used it as motivation to prove others wrong. Quiet on the outside, but fierce as a lion inside, Alexie battled his way through hard times and threats to his life. He fought for himself, but most of all, for his Indian people. He dreamed of future generations having the opportunity to receive quality education and he would do anything to accomplish