The document provides an overview of authors and readings for Week 3 of a course on exclusion from the American Dream. It introduces Native American authors Tecumseh, Zitkala-Sa, and Sherman Alexie, and discusses themes of post-colonial literature that may be present in their works. It also introduces African American authors Harriet Jacobs, Frederick Douglass, Richard Wright, and Ralph Ellison, noting themes of oppression, resistance, and the devastating impact of racism that are often present in their literature.

1. WEEK 3 AUTHORS
AND READINGS

2. Exclusion from the American Dream
Although Native Americans were in North America long before the European
explorers and settlers, they were viewed as the “outsiders.” The Europeans
attempted to force their traditions and beliefs on the Native Americans.
Post-colonial theory is a helpful analytical tool to use in looking at Native American
literature. Basically, post-colonial theory examines literature written by or about
the colonized culture and focuses on the ideas of “otherness” and resistance.
Common themes of post-colonial literature include:
■ The voices of those colonized celebrating differences or reclaiming identity
■ The ways in which the culture doing the colonizing distorts or belittles the
culture of those being colonized
■ The ways in which the culture of the colonized is seen to be inferior (justifying
the colonizers’ actions as a way to “save” the native peoples)
As you read through the works fromTecumseh, Zitkala-Sa, and Sherman Alexie, see
if you can identify any or all of these themes.

3. Exclusion from the American Dream
Tecumseh (1775?-1813), as you will learn in the biography
in your textbook, is sometimes considered “the most
extraordinary Indian that has appeared in history”
(Levine, 2017, p. 484).
Tecumseh anticipated what would eventually happen to
the Native Americans as a result of the continued
acquisition of land by the United States. He worked with
various Native American tribes to form an organized
resistance. He and his brother formed the village of
Tippecanoe, which became a gathering place for those
involved in the resistance. In November of 1811, U.S.
forces attacked the settlement and burned it, effectively
dissolving the resistance movement.
His “Speech to the Osages” is a call to the Osage Native
Americans to join the resistance. Make sure to read the
footnote on page 484; how does knowing the origin of
this translation affect your understanding of it?

4. Exclusion from the American Dream
Zitkala Sa (1876-1938) was born on theYankon Sioux
Reservation in South Dakota. She was one of the
children who attended an Indian boarding school
following the signing of the Dawes Act, which you will
learn more about in this week’s American Dream
lecture. Although she was eager to learn the ways of
the white man, “assimilation” included living far from
home in Indiana, having her long hair cut, having her
traditional clothing discarded, and being forbidden
from speaking her Native language.
“The Soft-Hearted Sioux” is a short story that
addresses the space in between cultures. As you read
the story, look for ways that the protagonist is
between worlds. How might some of the ideas of
post-colonial theory be used to evaluate her work?

5. Exclusion from the American Dream
ShermanAlexie (b. 1966) grew up on the Spokane
reservation inWellpinit, Washington. He refers to himself as
an urban Indian and lives in Seattle, WA. He writes fiction,
poetry, and drama.
The 1998 film Smoke Signals was adapted by Alexie from his
short story “This isWhat it Means to Say Phoenix, Arizona.”
The producers, directors, technicians, and actors of the film
are all Native American.
As you read “At Navajo MonumentValley Tribal School” and
“Pawn Shop” this week, look for ways Alexie describes the
mixing of Native American and white societies.
.

6. Exclusion from the American Dream
As you learned in this week’s American Dream lecture, slavery began in the New
World in 1619, and African slaves helped establish the agricultural economy.
Slavery was abolished at the end of the Civil War in 1865.
The Civil War was not just about slavery? Other factors
central to the Civil War included states’ rights and
economics.
The journalism industry grew rapidly after the Civil War,
helping to produce a great generation of writers.

7. Exclusion from the American Dream
It can be useful to apply many of the themes of post colonial
literature to AfricanAmerican literature. In our study of African
American literature this week, look for:
■ The voices of those enslaved or oppressed celebrating
differences or reclaiming identity
■ The ways in which the culture doing the oppressing distorts or
belittles the culture of those being colonized
■ The ways in which the culture of the oppressed is seen to be
inferior (justifying the oppressors’ actions as a way to “save”
the those being oppressed)

8. Exclusion from the American Dream
Harriet Jacobs (c. 1813-1897), writing under the
pseudonym Linda Brent, is the first known woman to
write an American slave narrative.
Born in North Carolina, Brent lived in fear of sexual
abuse by her owner, James Norcom, and to avoid
becoming his sexual slave, she began a relationship
with a white attorney. She later escaped and lived
for seven years in a small crawl space in her
grandmothers home. She made her way to the
North in 1842 and worked for a woman who
eventually purchased her from Norcom’s family and
emancipated Jacobs and her children.

9. Exclusion from the American Dream
Frederick Douglass (1818-1895) was born into
slavery in Maryland. Sophie Auld, the wife of
Douglass’s owner, taught Douglass how to read.
Auld forbade it, saying that learning to read
would make Douglass “unfit” to be a slave.
Douglass found ways to continue his education
and became an extremely effective writer and
orator.
He is well known for his Autobiography. This
week, we’re reading an excerpt from a speech he
gave in Rochester, NewYork, in 1852. As you read
the speech, think about the different rhetorical
devices Douglass uses to appeal to and persuade
his audience. What makes this speech so
powerful?

10. Exclusion from the American Dream
Richard Wright (1908-1960) was born near Natchez,
Mississippi. As you’ll read in the biography in your
textbook,Wright had a difficult childhood and had an
unstable educational environment. In addition, he was
a victim of the racism and oppression that existed in
the Deep South. He moved to Memphis at age 17 and
began to understand the deep-rooted anger felt by
many African Americans.
In much of his work,Wright expressed a theme "of the
devastating effect of relentless, institutionalized
hatred and humiliation on the black male's psyche"
(Levine, 2017,Vol. 1 p. 1058). Look for ways that this
theme is represented in "The Man Who Was Almost A
Man.” In what ways does Dave’s environment shape
his life? Does he have control over his destiny, or is he
a victim?

11. Exclusion from the American Dream
Ralph Ellison (1914-1994) was born in Oklahoma
and studied music and visual arts. His work often
drew criticism from other black writers for not
being more political.
You’re reading Chapter 1 of Invisible Man this
week, titled “Battle Royal.” A battle royal is a
fight among several participants until there is
only one person left standing. As you read,
consider why Ellison titled this chapter “Battle
Royal.” How does this fit into our study of the
American Dream?