I really enjoyed this week's reading of The Birchbark House. While I realize that the book is a work of fiction, I felt an overwhelming sense of connectedness to Omakayas story. This is the sort of literature that I'd want my children to read, but not just read, to experience, as I did. I began reading the acknowledgment (something I don't usually do) and was pleased to learn that the author, Louise Erdrich, is a decendant of the Ojibwa peoples, somehow that gave the novel more weight, made it more authentic. I especially enjoyed Erdrick's plea to the reader to 'speak the Ojibwa girl, Omakayas, name aloud so as to honour her life. As I did, Omakayas became more real. The character was totally relatable, and easy to identify with. Her character is very well developed. Many parents will recognize the sibling dynamics at play within the novel. Omakayas character was humerous, honest, but at the same time flawed, all which contributed to the stories believeablity. She was very much a child, possessing the feelings, rational, and reactions of a child, which makes the character endearing to readers.
Similar to Little House on the Prairie, The Birchbark House is packed with lots of informational about the day to day activities of the Ojibwa tribe, without being boring. This I believe is accomplished because Endrick crafts a story where both the main character, her family, and the reader by extension all feel connected. Omakayas and her family are connected to each other. They are connected not simply through blood or marriage, but joined and linked together with one another and the land for survival. The family is an interdependent unit, everyone has a clearly defined role and sees the importance of fulfilling that role. Omakayas and her family co-exist with the land and respect all life on it, from the least to the greatest. This people are not dwelling in fear, infact they have a remarkable connection to all the animals. They take only what is necessary for survival. They eat to be sustained, they store up for the winter, and are not wasteful. Every part of the animal is used for nourishment, clothing, blankets, etc., anything that cannot be used is ceremoniously buried. The author presents the tribe in a very respectful and dignified manner, these people are not savages.
This novel is an excellant tool for teaching about native cultures and perhaps the native peoples' attitudes respecting forced migration to reservations. I appreciated that the whites were not portrayed unfavorably, they needn't be. That is one very noticeable strength of the novel. The family survives inspite of trying circumstances. Omakayas herself is a survivor, she becomes one with nature and those who nurture her. Her survival is connected to theirs. This reader inturn feels deeply connected to Omakayas and her family especially after the loss of the baby boy Neewo (I got up from reading to go kiss my sleeping 2 year son Christopher) because not matter our differences, death is always mankind's common enemy.
I was also interested in the connectivity of the community and the environment at large. The use of the seasons as chapters shows how connected life was to the changing of seasons, establishing the idea of life as cyclic. The need for cooperation between the community is clear. I appreciated the polyvocality - the use of stories told by other characters, and the respect for other characters' views. I specifically remember Omakayas being critical of Pinch, but the text then shifting to Pinch's point of view and sympathizing with him. I feel that these methods help to establish the connectivity of the community, instead of being wholly based on the view of one character.
ReplyDeleteThe sense of community and nature was a great pleasure to read; I enjoyed learning about the culture through the story as opposed to being "told" about the culture. It was much more free flowing to read about their culture by hearing stories within the plot. And I agree that Omakayas does represent some sort of "suvivor" meaning and her tale is one of growth and understanding and appreciation for life and ones community. Very inspiring and refreshing to read the book and your blog.
ReplyDeleteThe way the sense of community was presented in this book felt more natural and realistic than it did in Little House on the Prairie. The characters seemed to care more about each other and more connected. With Little House there seemed to be such a great distance between people that a sense of community couldn't be established.
ReplyDeleteI agree that this was a better learning tool than "Little House on the Prairie", at least when it comes to the Native American lifestyle. Each showed two different lifestyles in the same time period and showed how each side lived and felt about one another. The differences between the two cultures is really remarkable, to be honest.
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