Zitkala Sa

Throughout these chapters you really feel her age as a factor, I mean the perspective that she is writing the "Impressions of an Indian Childhood" there's an overall sense of innocence and freedom yet she tries to act older, and usually shows age doing it. In the the first chapter "My Mother" one totally sees the freedom that she posses, just with her activities but the reader learns of the harsh realities of the paleman and what has come from their movement into the Natives land. She develops a quick hatred for them, but its a childish hate because its quickly formed and because her mother expresses such feelings for it. I'm not saying that the feelings are without good cause, just that there without backing because of her age and experience with the subject. Also with the chapters "The Legends and The Beadwork" you can see the traditions start coming through within the writings. How she waits for them to tell the legends that will someday give her a sense of culture and home, but for right now they serve merely for entertainment, she doesn't realize what she's really hearing. "The Beadwork and The Coffee-Making" can over lap in showing how she tries to act older and take the responsiblities that she will one day be in charge of doing. When she begins the beadwork like her mom she has to stay with simple patterns because of her attention span kicks in. Also it talks about their playing, and you once again feel how free she is, especially in spirit. With he coffee-making she knows she's suppose to be a good hostess and what she is expected to do yet she falls short because her lack of experience. Her very innocence is shown because she doesn't even pick up on her fault or the quick stab at her skills by the visitor and her mom. Lastly in the chapter "The Dead man's Plum Bush" child selfishness (not sure if word haha) is seen because her blantant disregard for the ill older lady because the feast is more exciting and even picking the plums without thinking of why they are there.

I think throughout the writings her innocence and freedom is definitely present, just with her activities and how she views everything. But like with all younger kids she tries to act older than she is, yet falters when put to the test. It's expected most younger kids try but its very easy to see within the writings.

Washington and Du Bois

Within The Atlanta Exposition Address, Booker T. Washington takes a somewhat passive approach to racism and the different expectations between the races. In his speech he relates the races with two different ships, one asking for help and the other offering yet without being herd, when he goes on you never really know which race is which ship because the point is that each need each other to prosper. Without being harsh and negative about the events of past times, he is able to project a better future that can be accomplished; just with some patience and time. He knows that this problem will not fix itself over night and the world will not learn to live as one, but more of an inch by inch sort of way. During his speech he also says "Much dignity in tilling a field as in writing a poem.." which is his way of showing the greatness in every ones life, no matter what they may be doing, hoping to show that even though they were slaves what their lives entailed was just as important and needed as what the whites were doing. Further within his piece he talks about how he didn't feel that his speech accomplished much until the next day when people were gathering to shake his hand, showing that just a speech can alter people opinions and that it will take time to reach everyone.

Whereas W.E.B Du Bois writing of: Of Mr. Booker T. Washington and Others he is more straight forward and demanding of what blacks deserve, and almost gives the reader the feeling that he doesn't approve of Washington. That he has become to passive and isn't as great as the general opinion is, but more negative because of how he goes about looking for change. Whether it's envy or straight disagreement Du Bouis gives the impression that Washington is almost more white than black with his thinking. Du Bois comes right out and says " Negroes must insist continually, in season and out of season, that voting is necessary to modern manhood, that color discrimination is barbarism, and that black boys need education as well as white boys." He comes off as threatening and judgemental, and probably isn't seen to well by others that aren't strongly agreeing with him.

Reading these two pieces as though the two men were having a conversation, I'm sure it would be heated and more about each others approaches then the actual content. Their ideas are justified because they both reach for equality but Washington is more telling it gently where Du Bois is pushing it down the throat.