American Indian Stories · Chapter
II: The Cutting of My Long Hair explained
The narrator describes her first day at the Eastern boarding school, where she experiences the shock of unfamiliar customs, harsh noises, and the traumatic cutting of her long hair, which symbolizes a profound loss of identity and cultural
What happens
The narrator describes her first day at the Eastern boarding school, where she experiences the shock of unfamiliar customs, harsh noises, and the traumatic cutting of her long hair, which symbolizes a profound loss of identity and cultural violation.
Themes in this chapter
Cultural Displacement and Assimilation
The narrator's first day at school illustrates the violent imposition of Western customs, from clothing to hair, as a means of erasing Indigenous identity.
Loss of Identity and Belonging
The cutting of her long hair, a symbol of honor and cultural pride, leaves the narrator feeling like a coward and a 'little animal,' stripped of her former self.
Colonial Violence and Injustice
The forced haircut, physical restraint, and lack of empathy from school authorities exemplify the systemic violence of colonial education.
Characters to notice
Key passages
“The first day in the land of apples was a bitter-cold one; for the snow still covered the ground, and the trees were bare.”
Her first day at the boarding school was harsh and wintry, with snow on the ground and bare trees.
Sets the bleak, alienating atmosphere of the narrator's arrival.
“And though my spirit tore itself in struggling for its lost freedom, all was useless.”
Her inner self fought desperately for the freedom she had lost, but it was futile.
Highlights the narrator's internal resistance and helplessness.
“Among our people, short hair was worn by mourners, and shingled hair by cowards!”
In her culture, short hair signified mourning, and shingled hair was a mark of cowardice.
Explains the deep cultural significance of hair, making the cutting a profound violation.
“I remember being dragged out, though I resisted by kicking and scratching wildly.”
She was forcibly pulled from her hiding place while fighting back with kicks and scratches.
Depicts her physical struggle against the school authorities.
“In my anguish I moaned for my mother, but no one came to comfort me.”
In her distress, she cried out for her mother, but received no comfort.
Emphasizes her isolation and longing for maternal care.