Meghan Gibson

August 16, 2016

AP Language and Composition
Summer Reading Assignment 2016
Chapter 1 Leap of Faith
They were young people whom the educational system neglected and, increasingly, they
desired for themselves the same opportunities others had. They wanted programs, Indian faculty
slots, and course offerings that highlighted the contributions of American Indians to knowledge
and culture. They rallied to the suggestion of using Alcatraz as a way to dramatize their issues.
(3)
Tone Response:
In this passage, the writer possessed a strong connection to the young people that he is referring
to. The way he described the desires of the group made them seem possible and necessary. The
writer says that the people rallied which makes them appear to come together as one to focus
on the issues together that are important to them and their culture. His tone of support and
positivity for future change sets the stage for the rest of the book, showing them as the good
guys in the battle towards visibility for their culture. He also depicts the American Indians as a
diverse but united front against the oppression they face.
Chapter 4 Life As a Metaphor
New friends huddled around fires late into the night in quiet conversation, sharing the common
pain of those who understood, really understood, what it meant to spend your life ignored and
invisible, a walking museum piece, a joke. (64)
Subject Response:

The focus of this quote is the pain and suffering that the Native Americans had to live through.
The author presents this subject by describing the people as ignored or invisible, which
relates to the book in an entirety because of their search for media attention and
acknowledgement by the government throughout the years. This quote describes the main drive
behind the Indian movements, which is to be given back some of what was taken from them.
They desired to be proud of their culture and not feel like walking museum pieces or a joke.
Chapter 5 The Monument Tour
The media represented Indians as ancient peoples, decimated by history, rising up to reassert
themselves just as the United States found itself falling apart. But, as one seasoned observer
would later point out, We werent reborn. We were just noticed. (101)
Purpose Response:
By including this passage in the book, the author describes the Native Americans as being
previously overlooked in history. This quotation is important in the context of the book because
one of the main purposes of the Indian takeovers of monuments and government buildings was
to gain media attention and finally have their voices be heard, which is also generally the
purpose of the book. Its a successful point because it makes the reader question their previous
knowledge on the subject of these movements and realize that the ongoing political battle existed
before they realized it was happening. Also, the Indians decimated by history were what the
entire book was made to tell us about.
Chapter 7 The American Indian Movement
The Trail organizers offered a statement that said We do say that AIM will be prominent but
not dominant in this united effort and that there are beautiful Indian people all over this country

who feel that is time for the fires to be lit everywhere and that it is time we become as one voice
and seek what is truly ours. (148)
Speaker Response:
The speaker of this piece is the collective message issued by the Trail organizers. All of these
organizers are Native American and have mostly had negative experiences with racist nonIndians who discriminate against their cultures. Also, the connection that the speakers have to the
beautiful Indian people is very close and they speak of them in only positive words, which a
non-Indian may not do. The focus of this statement was to pull their people to become united
and one voice against their oppressors. The author, an Indian himself, used this quote in order
to show how the Indians attempted to unite.
Chapter 10 The Independent Oglala Nation
The Oglalas at Wounded Knee were united in opposition to Wilson but divided in other issues.
(209)
Occasion Response:
The time of this event was in the early 1970s, which was around the time period of the Indian
movements. This quote supports the authors argument because even in the midst of internal
division on smaller instances, the Indians as a whole were generally able to push aside more
minor differences and be united in opposition against the things that they believed the most
strongly about. As a connected force, the Ogalas would be more likely to succeed against Wilson.
Chapter 11 All Things Twice
May your cause be heard by all the people in America, said the Very Reverend James P.
Morton. During the mass, Reverend Morton prayed for forgiveness for the crimes of the
American state against American Indians. Mortons prayer sounded like indictments read by a

prosecutor: the racism of our ancestors...forcing Native Americans to accept our

culture...violating their gravesites...destroying their lands with our mining industry...being
entertained by movies celebrating their genocide, and after each one the congregation responded
with the chant Lord God forgive us. (235)
Audience Response:
In this passage, the author was trying to persuade his own audience by including a quote that was
spoken in front of a real audience. 4,000 people came to a church service in New York in support
of the Indian occupation of Wounded Knee, and there were many non-Indian speakers
apologizing and supporting the Indians cause. The way the speaker appeals to the audience is
through prayer and acknowledgement, instead of the previous ultimatums and threats that they
had faced in the past by non-Indians.

WORKS CITED:
Smith, Paul Chaat, and Robert Allen. Warrior. Like a Hurricane: The Indian Movement from
Alcatraz to Wounded Knee. N.p.: n.p., n.d. Print.