A Review of The Depiction of Native Americans in the Novels of Forrest Carter
A. Native American (Cherokee and Apache)
Prior to dig deeper on what it seems how the Native Americans, Cherokee and Apache, lived together in the past centuries ago. It is essential to recognize the theoretical framework, which in terms of historicism, as a critical act insisting on the prime importance of historical perspectives. Historical views enabled the potential of vivid the real occasions which has occurred in certain times. Hence, this article will examine the life of the Cherokee and Apache.
The article depicts the existence of Native Americans in U.S history that is related to the story of Forrest Carter in The Outlaw of Josey Wales and The Education of Little Tree as well as Watch me for the Mountain. These texts contain how the Cherokee and Apache tribes behaved in daily activities for such how they make eye contact with strangers (white man). In some occasions, there is a conflict between indigenous people with newcomers regarding the occupation of land-owned. The Apache settlers were the first inhabitants since 7000 BC along with others tribe who lived together. However, there is a different principle between the Apache people and the newcomers towards the land occupation so that the war was begun as (Corbet et al., 2016:17) said “European ideas regarding owning the land as a private space with the inhabitant’s understanding of land use. The indigenous people did not agree with the private ownership as it is used for private space; in contrary, the Native viewed the land as a source of resources for the group of people”.
The war amongst the inhabitants, Apache people, and the Europeans emerged in the 1600s. This war still continued until the 1700s, where some of Apache fled to Mexico and made a treaty war in order to attain the peace with Spanish for the sake of acquired aids to support the clash between Utes and Comanches (Boyer, 2008:82). During the clash, the leader of the Apache tribe, Geronimo, and his followers went to the South to find a place where they can live peacefully since Geronimo refused to surrender towards the war. Yet, after a a-long-war, the Apache Leader surrender to the newcomers (Boyer, 2008:384). Afterward, the existence of Native gradually decreased due to abortions.
B. Variety of Novels
According to the first novel, Watch for me on the Mountain, it is conveyed the life of Native American women as well as children who were raped by the newcomer soldiers and the slavery simultaneously. Based on Corbet et al., (2016:88) said that it has been written about how the English settlers exacerbated tensions with local people by exploring their yield and its land. Furthermore, English traders kidnaped local women as a payment for their debts. One of the notorious example was the use of peacock flower to induce abortion towards mother of Native people in order to slow the growth of population of children into slavery (2016:90). This novel tells more about the Apache leader his followers throughout the one of the greatest war in U.S history.
Secondly, “The Outlaw Jasey Wales” is the second novel that is consist of how the main character involved in the war between the U.S siblings war. Josey Wales, the main character, worked together to fight the Union Army and the government.
On the other hand, in The Education of Little Tree, the author writes about his life as a boy who live with his grandparents. In this novel, the writer wants to educate the readers to know the Cherokee people which have given precious and valuable things to them. The writer explains about the Cherokee people were not dangerous and jeopardize to their circumstances.
C. The Author’s Political Perspective and Ideology
The Forrest Carter’s portrayal of Native American in his works which essentially considered as his story of life, particularly in his political views and ideology. According to Lowndes (2002), Carter has a different political perspective towards his works which opposed Black Rights. His given name is Asa Earl Carter. He is a segregationist who adore the Generals in the U.S Civil War. He is also found as a member of white supremacy organization which broadly-known as Ku Klux Klan. This group of people are racist toward black people and tend to attack those verbally, or worst, and physically abused them.
As Lowndes (2002) concluded that if we see from the author’s social and political life, it is clearly seen that he lived surrounded by the white people. While his ideology leads to bring the fundamental thoughts about whites are the highest rank of humankind. He will do anything if there is an opposition who against his views radically.
