Momaday and His Invitation

I think that Momaday’s essays are fine examples of how Native American literature tends to work: it is inviting, and encompasses a lot of area.  It defies easy definition.  Momaday’s essay reflects his dynamic interpretation of life.  Time and place and family meld in new ways for Western readers.

He Invites Us to Respond. . .  So What are We Waiting For?

Writing critically is a process of noting particulars.  The author creates a design so that you’ll notice what they intend–but we all notice things beyond what the author wants, or different from what the author intends.  Sometimes we fail to note things.  (That issue of intention is sticky.)

See where you can interact with the text enough so that passages you like or passages which you question get put out there in a posting for others to see.  Collectively, we’ll surprise one another with what we discuss.

Let’s see what people think about this arrowmaker story.  It resists anyone who thinks they’ll exhaust its meaning, doesn’t it?  I mean, isn’t Momaday’s interpretation of it only one of many possible takes on its meaning?  I don’t mean to say that everything is relative, because of course we do have the need to prove our opinions.  It is inviting to “weigh in” with your own comments, though, isn’t it?

Here is a partial list of questions I thought of to follow up on this essay.  Put things together in a paragraphed response.  At first glance, they may be less satisfying than an supplied answer, but everyone can piece this material together.

What does the story mean?

• What does Momaday say he intends this story to mean?
• How does the passage on the Wichita Mountains function in the essay?
• Were you surprised by Momaday’s use of the meteor shower?  What does it reveal about the Kiowa?  Do you have similar things which have lasted from your family or community?
• What sort of interpretation does the author provide?  (You can take his or leave it, but we should identify it first.)
• How does the arrowmaker’s story relate to the early Ko-sahn example?  Is one more important than the other.  Do they work together in any way?
• Is the opening example of the meteor/comet shower and its importance related in any way to the arrowmaker’s story?

From these early connecting questions and function/purpose questions I usually develop outwards to some more particular questions.

Sometimes, though, it’s good to stick to the literary realm.  For example, you might look at the symbolic associations of the plot of that story.  You might look at metaphorical aspects–are there any identifications on that deep metaphorical level?  If so, what are they?

In general, when reading you must keep asking questions.  Ask them persistently.  If stuck, it’s always necessary to go to the text and look at particulars.  Otherwise, we’ll wallow in abstract concepts without ever seeing them played out.  Show those particulars, and we’ll see where we can take them!