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Date: | Thu, 21 Apr 2011 17:48:10 -0700 |
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I've been working my way through Roughing It (again) recently, doing
public readings. It caused me pause when I reached his description of
the Goshoots Indians. It's quite common for discussion of Twain to
center on assumed racism because of his use of a particular word but
rarely have I seen any discussion of his prejudice against native
Americans - Indians. When it does come up it is generally in regard to
Injun Joe. Injun Joe is an entirely different matter, he is for the
most part a product of the dominant culture, the "white" culture. The
Goshoots are part of an entirely foreign culture to Twain and he seems
unable to understand it or even recognize that it is a foreign culture.
Roughing It comes from very early in Twains career so I'm wondering if,
after all his world travels, he ever came to see native Americans in a
better light.
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There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of
in your philosophy.
http://bscottholmes.com
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